MIDDLETOWN — Julie Reynolds has been waiting for her team to gel and gel is exactly what the Clear Lake High School junior varsity volleyball team did on Saturday at the Middletown Tournament.
Only four days after losing to Middletown in a non-league match, Clear Lake beat the tournament-host Mustangs twice — once in round-robin play and again in the championship match — to bring home the first-place plaque.
“It”s the best I”ve seen them play, they were just amped,” Clear Lake coach Julie Reynolds said of the Cardinals” two matches against Middletown.
Clear Lake went 4-1 in the round-robin format, beating Ukiah, Kelseyville, Middletown and Anderson Valley, and losing to Fortuna. Middletown also came out of round-robin play 4-1 to set up a championship showdown.
Clear Lake beat Middletown 25-19 to win the tournament.
While the Cardinals had no shortage of stars during tournament play, Reynolds said middle hitter Rylie Gabehart led the way.
“She could do no wrong,” Reynolds said.
Also turning in strong performances, according to Reynolds, were Apryl Comstock, Hannah Hoffeditz and Briana Butcher. Comstock led the team in kills, Hoffeditz anchored the defense and Butcher ran the offense from her setter position.
“She (Butcher) kept the team going,” Reynolds said. “She probably would have been All-Tournament (if there would have been an All-Tournament team).”
