The Copper Kings prevailed 25-10, 25-22, 25-14 to advance to the regional championship match against downstate Elk Rapids at 6 p.m. today at Manistique High School.

With full bleachers, each team had plenty of fans enthusiastic about their team.

The Copper Kings started out completely in tune, taking the lead and keeping the Broncos on the defensive.

Unable to keep up with Calumet, Bark River-Harris took a timeout trailing 11-3, but it didn’t much good as Calumet won by 15 points.

Calumet's players on the court, right, huddle to congratulate Helen Beiring for a kill as the Copper Kings' bench also applauds at left during an MHSAA Division 3 regional tournament match played against Bark River-Harris and held at Westwood High School on Tuesday=. (Journal photo by Alexandria Bournonville)

“I think at the beginning the nerves got us,” Broncos coach Jen Ives said.

The second set started much closer, even as the Broncos trailed at first.

BR-H got a good number of blocks against the quick front row of Copper Kings, and with their crowd roaring, the Broncos climbed all the way up to 22 points.

After several balls falling out-of-bounds, the Broncos took a timeout but to no avail as Calumet won 25-22.

“The girls remained composed and… were able to put that second set away,” Copper Kings coach Kate Bonacorsi said.

Calumet's Madelyn Torola, right, moves in for a bump as teammate Kayle Halonen, left, readies to back her up and the Copper Kings' Helen Beiring looks on during an MHSAA Division 3 regional tournament match played against Bark River-Harris and held at Westwood High School on Tuesday. (Journal photo by Alexandria Bournonville)

“(Set) 2 kind of showed what we can do, what we’re capable of,” Ives said. “It was a tight game back and forth. They swung at us, we swung back at them. That was a fun game.

“I thought maybe we’d carry some of that momentum into Game 3, but we made some silly mistakes and let it get away.”

The energy previously shown by the Broncos seemed to wear off as they couldn’t catch the Copper Kings in the final set.

Calumet doubled up the score on the Broncos for much of the set before winning by 11.

The Copper Kings’ Helen Beiring was a major part of Calumet’s impressive offense.

“She’s incredible,” Bonacorsi said. “She had some great attacks tonight that were really exciting; she’s so powerful.”

Bonacorsi also heaped praise on Allison Bjorn.

“She’s a sophomore, so she stepped into her role and she’s been doing really well,” the coach stated.

Email Alexandria Bournonville at abournonville@miningjournal.net.