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North Branch needed some measure of revenge against Cambridge-Isanti after last year’s section final game.

The ultimate measure of that revenge may come later on in Section 7AAA play, but for now, this one will do.

The Vikings traveled to Cambridge-Isanti to take on the Jackets in a game that would assure them at least a share of the Mississippi 8 Conference title.

In the first set, sisters Courtney and Cianna Selbitschka established the pace of play and attacked all set, keeping the Vikings just narrowly in front of C-I.

The Bluejackets kept it close, but North Branch was able to wrap up the set 25-23. That is when the Vikings stomped on the gas pedal and left the Bluejackets in their rear-view mirror.

North Branch swarmed to the ball in the second and third set and kept Cambridge-Isanti guessing throughout. They won the second and third sets by a combined score of 50-27, not allowing the Jackets to break 15 points in either.

Courtney Selbitschka had 13 kills and 17 digs, as well as four aces. Cianna Selbitschka had seven kills, Kelsey Allaman had five and Madison Hadrava had four kills.

The win, coupled with their season finale victory over Monticello, meant North Branch won 17 of their last 19 games after starting 4-3.

It also puts the Vikings in the driver’s seat for the number one seed in Section 7AAA. The only other team that can stake that claim is Grand Rapids, who is 24-3 on the year, but the Thunderhawks were dominated by North Branch in the Duluth East Tournament in early October.

The volleyball season runs late this year, as the first round of sections won’t be until Wednesday, October 28. The tournament will run until Saturday, November 7. The first three rounds will be at the home sites of the high seed and the section finals will be held in Forest Lake.

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