(Todd Rose/Escanaba Daily Press photo) North Central’s Katelyn Deming (22) bumps the ball over the net as Superior Central’s Emma Rutter (5) defends Thursday in Powers.

POWERS — The Superior Central Cougars earned a 3-0 (25-11, 25-14, 25-17) win over North Central on Thursday night in Powers.

Cougars coach Kris Bray boiled the win down to the team working well as a unit throughout the match.

“We’re trying to speed up our offense and were doing a pretty good job with it,” she said.

In the first two sets, Superior Central jumped on the Jets early — with two four-point runs helmed by Emma Rutter and Maggie Rondeau in the first and a seven-point run with Maddie Begovac at the service line in the second.

The third set, however, was a different story as it was the Jets that gained the early advantage jumping to a 6-2 lead. Things remained tight until the Cougars hit their stride to string together a few short runs to win 25-17.

Holding down things at the net was Riley Johnson, while Emma Rutter also shined for the Cougars.

The night got off to a slow start for the Jets, and coach Rick Mick took the blame for it.

“I take full responsibility for the first set. I totally botched the starting lineup,” Mick said. “What I wrote down on my notepad was different than what I gave the scoreboard.”

Despite the rocky start, the Jets clawed back and improved each set, with Ashley Neuens and Shae LaCoursier — who also had a big block in the second set — putting in nice effort serving with four and three aces apiece while Katelyn Deming had seven digs.

Mick also pointed out — while noting the performance of his senior — that some of his younger players had their best performances of the year.

“Katrina Borucki has been improving every single match and played her best tonight,” he said. “And I think our sophomore setter Mady Bemis played her best set in the third, for sure.”

The Jets host Carney-Nadeau on Tuesday.