LAKEPORT — Clear Lake won”t have much time to dwell on a big 25-23, 25-20, 26-24 varsity volleyball victory over the Lower Lake Trojans on Tuesday night in Lakeport, a win that keeps the Cardinals even with the St. Helena Saints atop the North Central League I standings.
The reason is pretty simple. Clear Lake (10-1) is right back at it tonight with a match at St. Helena (10-1), the second and final league meeting between the two teams this season. Clear Lake won the first one in dramatic fashion, dropping the first two games and winning the next three at Lakeport.
All that is at stake tonight is sole possession of first place in the NCL I standings and most likely no worse than a share of the league championship.
While tonight”s match against St. Helena was originally scheduled for Thursday, Clear Lake coach Marci Psalmonds said she doesn”t mind playing on back-to-back nights, especially given the way the Cardinals performed on Tuesday against Lower Lake, a team that handed the Cardinals their only league loss back on Sept. 29 in Lower Lake.
“I”d rather have a good game like we did (against Lower Lake) and hit them (Saints) and be pumped up,” Psalmonds said.
“Clear Lake was ready for us this time,” Lower Lake coach Danessa Udy said. “They were pumped up and ready to go.”
“We definitely had a different demeanor this time,” Psalmonds added.
Among the keys to the match, according to Psalmonds, were the Cardinals” improved passing and the blocking up front by Jessica Asbury.
“We kept the ball off the net this time,” Psalmonds said. “Last time we didn”t and they just killed us.”
Asbury led the Cardinals with five blocks while also recording eight kills.
“She did a great job blocking their hitters,” Psalmonds said.
Vanessa Tullos added nine kills and four aces while Anna Westin had four kills and two blocks.
Other contributors were setter Morgan Psalmonds with 24 assists, Coree Alexander with 16 digs, and Haley Garzoli with five aces.
“She doesn”t always have the big numbers but she gets the job done,” Psalmonds said of Garzoli.
Udy said the Trojans played well even if they lost in three.
“If we could play this well all the time I would be happy,” she said. “After our last match (a three-game loss to St. Helena), I never thought we would play well again.”
Adrina Miller”s 11 kills paced the Trojans and Kelsie Shoffeitt had seven kills and three blocks.
In other volleyball action Tuesday:
Kelseyville def. Fort Bragg
At Fort Bragg, the Kelseyville Knights improved to 3-7 in the league standings with their second consecutive win, a 25-17, 25-19, 25-16 victory against the Fort Bragg Timberwolves.
“They”re starting to play like a team ? it”s starting to click,” Kelseyville coach Donelle McCallister said. “Hopefully we can keep playing like this.”
The Knights benefited from a balanced attack that featured seven kills from Jennifer Green, six kills and three blocks by Alex Pruett, six kills from Jeannie Johnson and five kills from Abby McQueen.
Setter Bonnie McCallister led the team with 26 assists and four aces.
Upper Lake def. Rio Lindo
At Upper Lake, Upper Lake donned pink T-shirts for its 25-15, 25-23, 25-20 victory over Rio Lindo Academy, part of a fundraiser for breast cancer research.
Kat Edmonds pounded out 10 kills, Amber McQueen added five and Ashley Lovrin had five aces.
Lovrin ended the match with a kill from the back row.
The first game set the tone, according to Upper Lake coach Sandy Coatney, who said it was a team effort.
“Everyone contributed something in that first game,” he said. “Our energy level dropped off after that but we still got it done. Coaches are never satisfied.”
