The Niles volleyball team started with a flurry and ended with a bang against visiting Portage Northern Wednesday night.

It’s what happened between the first and fourth sets that have Vikings coach Jenny Nate concerned.

Niles defeated the Huskies 25-9, 19-25, 27-25 and 25-16.

“We are spending every minute working on mental and physical consistency no matter who we play,” Nate said. “We are such a strong team when we control the tempo. We can’t let up for a second. So we went into tonight playing like every point was for a district championship.”

The Vikings are a strong offensive team, but can get itself in trouble when its quits attacking and falls back into a defensive mode.

That happened in the second and third sets. When it went back to attacking the net in the final set with Lashonda Green, Miranda Baker Kierra Fillwock, Portage Northern had no answers for the Vikings.

“We have a strong defense, but we are definitely an offensive team,” Nate said. “We cannot afford to hand them tips and put it on a platter for them. We have got to drive it down every single time.”

Green, Baker and Fillwock combined for 28 kills against the Huskies. Green led the way with 13, while Baker and Fillwock finished with nine and six respectively.

Jazmin Brann and Kelsey Barton were strong at the net as well as they finished with six and five  blocks.

“Lashaonda Green had her best game of the season and really stepped it up along with everyone on our net.

 

Niles statistics

Leading scorers

Miranda Baker 12 points, 3 aces

Olivia Jordan 12

Kelsey Barton 12 points, one ace

Maggie Hoff 7 points, 1 ace

Lashonda Greene 5 points, 2 aces

Kierra Fillwock 4 points, 1 ace

Courtney Nixon 3 points, 1 ace

 

Kills

Greene 13

Baker 9

Fillwock 6

Barton 4

Jazmin Brann 3

Megan Kohler 3

 

Blocks

Brann 6

Barton 5

Baker 3

Greene 2

Kohler 2

 

Assists

Barton 30

 

Digs

Hoff 9

Jordan 6

Baker 5

Fillwock 4

Brann 2