UPPER LAKE — Trailing two games to none in their best-of-five match on Tuesday evening, the last-place Upper Lake Cougars caught fire and rallied to beat the first-place St. Vincent Mustangs 13-25, 22-25, 25-20, 26-24, 15-12 in a North Central League I South varsity volleyball match at Upper Lake High School.
So what got into the Cougars, who entered play 0-5 in the South standings compared to St. Vincent”s 5-0?
“God, I wish I knew,” Upper Lake coach Sandy Coatney said. “They wanted this one more.”
Upper Lake had plenty of standout performers. Caity Falge led the way with 13 kills and 10 digs, Hannah Johnson added nine kills, 13 digs and three blocks, and four-year varsity veteran Rebecca Grupe had nine kills and a team-best six blocks.
“They jelled, came together and never gave up,” Coatney said of his team”s come-from-behind shocker. “They made some mistakes, but the girls didn”t get down on themselves.”
Other Upper Lake standouts were Sam Bullard with 22 assists and Marissa Plein with 13 digs.
Upper Lake also rallied to win the junior varsity match, 22-25, 26-24, 16-14. Brandy Claunch led the Cougars with eight aces and Christine Wagner had nine kills.
Upper Lake hosts Willits in an NCL I interlock match on Thursday. The Cougars” next NCL I South match is Tuesday at Lakeport.
