CARMICHAEL — After winning their first two matches on Saturday to run their season record to 18-0, the Kelseyville Knights dropped a 26-24, 25-20 decision to Christian Brothers of Sacramento during the final round of pool play at the Carmichael Invitational Volleyball Tournament.
Christian Brothers also beat Kelseyville during the playoff round, 25-15, 25-20, to end the Knights” tournament run. Kelseyville beat another pool winner, Vintage (Napa) 25-22, 23-25, 25-15 before losing the second time to Christian Brothers.
“They legitimate,” Kelseyville coach Larry Bresso said of Christian Brothers, the No. 1-ranked team in the Sacramento Valley in Division III. “They have one kid up front who jumps out of the gym, but they”re all good. To take them to 26-24 (during pool play), we actually had a chance to win that (game).”
Bresso, Kelseyville”s coach since the early 1980s, said he can”t remember a long winning streak by one of his teams.
“The win streak is over, so we don”t have to worry about that anymore,” Bresso said. “I just hope they remember how well they played in this tournament because we”re going to need to play like that again down the road.”
Kelseyville, a Division IV team, beat Benicia 25-20, 25-23 and Calaveras 25-18, 25-15 in pool play before losing the first time to Christian Brothers.
The Knights weren”t even at full strength with middle hitter Amy Dawson out of the lineup but were able to compensate thanks to the efforts of bench players Casey Bowlin, Lauren Giusti and Kristina Swenston, all of whom filled in at various points during the tournament.
“They all did a great job,” said Bresso, adding that Bowlin played every position on the floor before the tournament was over.
Senior Lauren Nixon led the Knights with 11 ? blocks but also had 22 digs and seven kills.
“Nixon passed the ball outstanding for us,” Bresso said.
Other Kelseyville leaders were Katie King, who had 35 kills, 26 digs and six aces; Jamie Stockman, who had 12 kills, a team-best 29 digs and 12 aces; outside hitter Kaitlyn Goff, who had 22 kills and six aces; and setter Jill Bailey, who added 79 assists, 27 digs, 10 kills and six aces.
“Goff really grew up in this tournament,” Bresso said. “She had only two hitting errors. We were hesitant to go to her earlier in the year but not anymore. We went to her time and time again and for some big points during the tournament.”
Kelseyville opens its North Central League I North schedule Thursday at home against Fort Bragg. Junior varsity action begins at 5 p.m.
