Vikings end Bulldogs Hope of a Three Peat

Dwight Cadwell – NSO

Ken Palmer – Photos

The Carlton Bulldogs dream of a third consecutive trip to the state girls volleyball tournament ended Saturday afternoon as the Cook County Vikings defeated the Bulldogs 3-1 to advance to their first ever state volleyball tournament.

After a quick start Saturday afternoon at Duluth Denfeld the Bulldogs took a 1-0 lead following a 25-16 win int he first set. The Bulldogs and the Vikings would battle evenly throughout the next 3 sets, but in each set it was a run put on by the Vikings where Carlton could not get a side out to stop the Cook County runs.

Cook County had two 8-0 runs which sealed both the second and third sets 25-18 and 25-19. Head Coach Barb Soukkala told Northland Sports Online “those runs really hurt us, we got in to rotations where they took advantage of our placements.”

Soukkala added “they are so tall up front the made it difficult at times, but in the end they beat us we left it all on the floor.”

Carlton took a three point 23-20 lead in the fourth set but it was another run by the Vikings that ended the Bulldogs hopes with a 25-23 win.

Cook County finished with 27 blocks as a team and the Vikings sisters Meridith and linden Sutton controlled the net with fierce kills and timely blocks which hurt Carlton all match. Macy Belich led Carlton with 17 kills on the night but it wasn’t enough in the end.

Cook County def. Carlton 16-25, 25-18, 25-19, 25-23

qw