Above: With Raina Ryden poised to make an assist, Linden Sutton strained to take this hard-hit low serve and make a nice bump to her front line in the game against Carlton. Left: Going up high, Shauna Blake returned the ball to Carlton in one of the most exciting matches the Cook County Vikings have ever played at home.
Note to Cook County High School janitors: There is no need to sweep the gymnasium floors following a Vikings’ volleyball game because the girls have already mopped them up with their acrobatic diving for loose balls.
The last time the Vikings beat the Carlton Bulldogs, a fellow by the name of Moses, instructed by God, was chiseling the 10 Commandments into stone tablets.
Okay, so maybe it wasn’t that long ago, but like Moses, the girls from Cook County also have their own 10 Commandments and the first one says “Not in My House!”
And so it was, will be and … oh lets just get on with the game!
Carlton came in with a 13-4-1 record while the Vikings sported a perfect, shiny 17-0 record. What could be better than 17-0? How about 18-0?
Off to a fast start, the Vikings were hitting on all cylinders as they defeated Carlton 25-12 in the first game. As Carlton came out focusing on Meredith and Linden Sutton—the team’s two biggest power hitters—outside hitter Emily Jacobsen converted on three spikes in the team’s first five points. That seemed to unravel the Bulldogs and the Vikings rushed to a big lead and an easy first game win.
But Carlton, led by senior Macy Belich, is a talented team, and the Vikings needed to stay on top of their game to hold off the Bulldogs.
Game two was close. The Vikings won 25-22, but Carlton never led. The Vikings went up 5-1 then kept Carlton about 4 points down the rest of the way, leading 23-19 before Carlton rallied for 3 points before the Vikings put them away behind a spike from Linden Sutton and then one for good measure from Meredith Sutton to seal the win.
With the stands full of Viking fans often on their feet, game three was as much fun to watch as any game could be. Both teams made incredible saves and points were long and contentious. Hard fought to the end of each rally.
During game three Carlton took its first and only lead of the match 7-6. It lasted just that long and the Vikings fought hard to go ahead by as much as 18-11 before Carlton fought back to get within three points 23-20. By now the other teams must know what’s coming. Once again the Vikings turned to Meredith Sutton to slam home the last few points for the Viking win.
Still, if this sounds like a one or two or three-person team, that would be wrong. A racecar engine is fabulous only if it’s running on all cylinders. If even one small part doesn’t work, then none of it works. That’s the way the Vikings play. They are a smooth running engine when all of their parts are working and working together.
For the game sophmore Meredith Sutton had 12 kills and 21 digs; senior Linden Sutton had 9 kills and 4 ace serves; senior Alex Slanga 13 set assists; senior Madison “Maddy” Roy had 12 set assists and sophomore Raina Ryden had 28 digs.
Vikings beat Wrenshall
Seemingly down a quart of oil and maybe in need of a tune-up, the Vikings traveled to Wrenshall on Tuesday, October 13 to face a good Wren team that was hoping to break up the Vikings’ perfect record. It didn’t happen, but the Vikings did lose a game and with two matches left, realize everyone will be trying to send them into the playoffs with a loss.
The Vikings won the first game 25-18, then sputtered and lost game two 26-24, narrowly won game three 25-23, and closed out the Wrens with a 25-16 win to take the match 3-1.
Lily Gruber-Schulz finished with 12 kills; Alex Slanga 22 set assists; Raina Ryden 32 digs; Linden Sutton 15 kills and 5 ace serves, and Meredith Sutton had match high 20 kills.
Shauna Laveau led the Wrens with 10 kills and 45 digs.
The Vikings play Silver Bay at Silver Bay on October 20 and come home to face Floodwood on Thursday, October 22. The game will start at 6:30 p.m.
Come out and cheer for your undefeated Vikings!
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