With its second win over Nashua-Plainfield this season, the No. 8 (2A) Lake Mills volleyball team qualified for its eighth consecutive regional final.

The Bulldogs notched their 40th win of the season and advanced past the Huskies 3-1 Friday in the Class 2A Region 6 semifinals at Manly, Iowa.

Game scores were 25-20, 25-22, 19-25 and 25-11.

“I am very proud of this group,” said Lake Mills coach Jim Boehmer. “We have done a lot this year and will work hard to give us a chance to compete against Sumner-Fredericksburg.”

Bulldogs setter Kelsea Heintzman posted a team-high 43 assists and distributed the ball for a balanced offensive attack with double-digit kills for three players: Madison Shifflett, 13; Lexi Groe, 12; and Cede Byrnes, 12.

Emily Orban led Lake Mills with 19 digs and had four ace serves.

“When Emily was serving, we were able to go on long runs,” Boehmer said. “(I’m) not sure what the mixture was, but for some reason we were able to take advantage of their rotation at that time.”

In Game 1, Boehmer said the Bulldogs led 7-3, but the Huskies bounced back with a 11-4 run. However, Lake Mills responded with eight straight points to recapture the lead 19-14 and kept that five-point advantage until the end.

After the Bulldogs took a two-game lead, Nashua-Plainfield (22-10 overall) notched its first win in Game 3.

However, Lake Mills eliminated the Huskies in Game 4.

“I knew (Nashua-Plainfield) spent a lot of emotion and energy winning (Game 3),” Boehmer said. “Often teams relax too much after taking a set from us, and it is critical we jump out early in the fourth (game).”

The Bulldogs did just that by building a 17-7 lead in Game 4 en route to a 14-point win.

With a trip to state on the line, the Bulldogs (40-1 overall) will play No. 9 (2A) Sumner-Fredericksburg (29-3 overall) in the regional finals at 7 p.m. Wednesday at Charles City, Iowa.

The Bulldogs have won 24 consecutive matches, and the Cougars have won three straight after a 13-match winning streak was ended on Oct. 6 against No. 6 (2A) Dike-New Hartford (36-9 overall).