COEUR d’ALENE — Lake City’s formula for winning on the road — focus on what happens on the court, and ignore everything on the outside.

So far, so good for the Timberwolves in 5A Inland Empire League volleyball.

Lake City shrugged off some shaky play late in the third set and throughout the fourth, and finished strong for a 25-22, 25-21, 22-25, 19-25, 15-11 over the host Coeur d’Alene Vikings on Tuesday night.

“Road games are the toughest,” said Lake City sophomore setter Klaire Mitchell, who finished with 40 assists, 19 digs and two blocks. “We are able to block out the surroundings, and focus on what it takes to win.”

Lake City (12-1 overall), with just one senior on the roster, is now 3-0 in the 5A IEL, with all three victories coming on the road.

“To me, we really approach every game the same. If we keep that constant of approacing every game the same, no matter where we’re at, all the outside influences really don’t matter,” first-year Lake City coach Jenna Leggat said.

Ashley Kaufman, a sophomore outside hitter, had 19 kills and two aces for Lake City. Arlaina Stephenson, a junior outside hitter, added 11 kills and three blocks, sophomore Reilley Chapman 26 digs, sophomore middle blocker Tessa Sarff five kills and two aces.

Junior outside hitter Delaney Schmidt had 16 kills and 10 digs for Coeur d’Alene (5-5, 1-1). Senior Ali Williams added 14 kills, mostly from the right side, and also had 15 assists and three aces. Senior Isabella Hollibaugh had 20 assists, junior Sam Swayze 16 digs and three aces, sophomore Kelly Horning seven blocks.

“I’m definitely happy with how hard we battled,” Coeur d’Alene coach Dee Pottenger said. “I think this group is still figuring out our new identity, with so many new players. I think they finally believing that we can be the top team in the league. Not that we are, but that we can be.”

Lake City prevailed in a well-played first set on both sides, took the second as Coeur d’Alene started to make errors, and led 20-14 in the third before Ali Williams and Sam Swayze led a Viking comeback. Coeur d’Alene controlled the fourth set and took the momentum into the deciding fifth set.

Trailing 2-1, Mitchell served seven straight points in an 8-0 run for an 8-2 lead. Coeur d’Alene battled back to within 12-10, but Sarff stopped the run with a quick-set kill, and Kaufman finished off the match with an ace.

“It was scary, but we were able to come back,” Mitchell said. “We played the (fifth) game how we should have played the whole time; definitely one to remember.”

“Klaire is a real effective setter,” Pottenger said. “She’s consistent at bettering the ball; she can take a tough pass and deliver a quality set off of it.”

“We were very proud of the effort that they brought, and the tenacity, and the fight and the drive that they had,” Leggat said.

Coeur d’Alene plays host to Central Valley on Thursday. Lake City returns to action next Tuesday at Lakeland.