"The girls played hard and never quit," said the Lakers first-year coach, Nikki Helsel. "We were in every game."

Leading the way for the Lady Lakers was Blisse Beardsley with 13 points, 27 sets, 10 attack receives, seven attacks, seven kills, seven serve receives, and six tips. Melissa Bunker added 10 points, 23 sets, nine attacks, eight serve receives, five kills, and four attack receives.

Above photo: Members of the Mackinac Island Lakers volleyball team are (from left, front row) Shayleen Mosley and Arial Leeper; (middle) Christina McLean, Danielle Wightman, Karlena Mosley and Emma Chambers; (back) Blisse Beardsley, Emily St. Onge, Head Coach Nikki Helsel, Melissa Bunker, and Kristi Kamphuis. At center right: Lakers volleyball Head Coach Nikki Helsel, originally from Manton, looks forward to her first season with Mackinac Island. She replaces Anneke Myers. At lower right: This year’s Lakers volleyball team captains are seniors BlisseBeardsley (left) and Emma Chambers.

Kristi Kamphuis tallied 11 points, 19 attacks, 12 serve receives, eight kills, five attack receives, and two blocks; Emma Chambers chipped in nine points, 20 attacks, nine attack receives, five kills, two serve receives, and two tips; Emily St. Onge notched seven points, 11 attack receives, 10 serve receives, eight attacks, and three kills; Christina McLean charted four points, seven serve receives, two attacks, and one attack receive; and Danielle Wightman recorded two points.

Mackinac Island will battle Hannahville Friday, December 10, in a Northern Lights League match and Saturday, December 11, the Lady Lakers will host their annual invitational.