LOWER LAKE — Perhaps the days of lopsided losses are over for the Lower Lake High School varsity boys” soccer team.
Lower Lake”s young squad did suffer its first loss of the season on Tuesday, a 4-2 setback to the St. Helena Saints during North Central League I interlock play at Lower Lake High School, but the Trojans did provide the Saints, a power in the NCL I South, with all they could handle.
Lower Lake scored the game”s first goal on Antonio Aceves” shot in the first half. St. Helena pulled even later in the half.
The Trojans went back in front 2-1 early in the second half when Rodrigo Aceves took a pass at midfield, dribbled down the length of the sideline and blasted a shot into the net.
St. Helena rallied with three second-half goals to pull out the win.
Lower Lake”s freshman keeper, Leopoldo Bravo, stopped 12 shots on goal as the Trojans fell to 2-1-1 on the season.
In other boys” soccer action Tuesday:
Girls” soccer
Fort Bragg 5, Upper Lake 1
At Upper Lake, Taryn Re”s first-half goal was all the offense the Upper Lake Cougars could muster in NCL I interlock action against the Fort Bragg Timberwolves.
Fort Bragg led 3-1 after the first half and Upper Lake never responded in the second half, according to coach Anna Santana.
“Something was off, I don”t know,” Santana said. “It”s almost like they gave up after the first half.”
Yessica Ayala assisted on Re”s goal as the Cougars slipped to 1-1-1 on the season.
“I don”t know what was wrong with them today,” Santana said. “It was like a different team.”
Clear Lake 6, Kelseyville 1
At Lakeport, Clear Lake”s Julie Jackson and Kaila Sterbank scored three goals apiece and Sam Espinoza had three assists as the Clear Lake Cardinals beat the Kesleyville Knights for the second time in eight days, this time at Clear Lake High School.
With five games scheduled over the next 11 days, the Cardinals (2-1-1) played everybody, according to co-coach Paul Larrea. “We want to keep everybody fresh and healthy,” Larrea said. “We have a really tough stretch coming up. Six of our next seven games are on the road.”
Sterbank had two assists to go along with her three goals.
Other standouts for the Cardinals, according to Larrea, were Megan McDonald and Anisa Green on defense and wing Amanda McKinney on offense.
“If you ask any of our players who has played the best in each of the last three games, it”s Amanda,” Larrea said. “She has been playing lights out at the wing.”
Volleyball
Middletown def. Clear Lake
At Middletown, new Middletown coach Jennifer Breiner picked up her first win of the season as the Mustangs made quick work of the Clear Lake Cardinals, 25-16, 25-16, 25-22 in NCL I interlock action.
“They all did really great,” Breiner said of the Mustangs (1-1).
Kayla Wood pounded a team-best seven kills to go along with three aces and Kelsey Guzman had six kills for Middletown. Jessica Boylan (four kills, two aces) and Jen Emberson (four aces) also turned in solid efforts, according to Breiner.
“Jessica passed the ball really well,” Breiner said.
Kirsten Wascom led Clear Lake (2-1) with seven points, six kills and two blocks, and freshman Jesse Sondag had six kills, all of them in the final game.
“We didn”t start playing until the last game,” Clear Lake coach Marci Psalmonds said. “When we got the ball to the net we did OK, but we couldn”t pass the ball tonight if our lives depended on it. We must have hit 15 balls into the net.”
Middletown beat Clear Lake 25-20, 25-10 in the junior varsity match.
Lower Lake def. Upper Lake
At Lower Lake, Darlena White had 11 service points, all of them aces, and the Lower Lake Trojans beat the Upper Lake Cougars 25-17, 23-25, 25-13, 25-13 in NCL I interlock action. White also had six kills to go with her team-leading ace total.
Amber Shoffeitt”s eight kills sparked the Trojans, who beat Justin-Siena and Cloverdale at the Healdsburg Tournament on Saturday.
Another Lower Lake standout was Renita Gilliam, who had a team-high four blocks. She also served 15 straight points in game four.
“It was not a real pretty match,” Lower Lake coach Danessa Udy said. “Very uninspired,” she added of the performances turned in by both clubs.
“I would agree with that,” Upper Lake coach Sandy Coatney said. “Our biggest problem has been our passing. If you don”t get good passes, it”s hard to hit the ball.”
Coatney said Trina Walker had a good match digging the ball.
Upper Lake did win the junior varsity match 26-24, 18-25, 16-14 behind the setting of Brandy Claunch.
