HARRIS — With its back against the wall, the Bark River-Harris volleyball team nearly rallied to defeat Gwinn in the fifth set but couldn’t fully recover. The Modeltowners earned the victory 3-2 (31-29, 25-19, 22-25, 20-25, 15-10) Tuesday at Bark River.

After Gwinn won the first two sets, the Broncos found their footing and took a close third set.

“We started off slow but gained our footing as we continued to play,” Broncos coach Jennifer Ives said. “I was happy with our communication.”

Bark River kept rolling in the fourth set, winning with a five-point margin. However, the Modeltowners pushed back in the fifth, sealing the set and the match.

The Broncos’ Carley Varoni finished the night with two aces, two kills and 25 assists.

“Carley Varoni had a great game and really showed strong leadership as a sophomore,” Ives said.

Bark River’s captain for the night, Allison Richer, was a positive influence Ives felt.

“Ally Richer was named our team captain tonight as she led the team defensively in the back row,” she said. “Her senior leadership is much needed.”

Ives also pointed out strong play from Tressa Ives, Alaska Peterson and Aspen Frederick.

“Tressa Ives had a strong overall game with six aces, seven kills and 15 digs,” she said. “Alaska Peterson led the team as an outside hitter, putting away 10 kills. Aspen Frederick had a strong middle game with three aces, two blocks and a couple very key plays.”

The Broncos’ Selena Britton finished with five aces and 10 digs, and Cara Zawacki and Kassidy Roll earned two kills apiece. Roll also notched two blocks.

“Overall, our team continues to improve,” coach Ives said. “After losing a few weeks due to quarantine, we are making strides in the right direction heading into our final regular-season games and looking forward to districts.”

Bark River visits Carney-Nadeau today.