MIDDLETOWN >> When it rains it pours. And it did ? on the Middletown Mustangs as well as the Kelseyville Knights during a North Central League I varsity girls” soccer game on Thursday afternoon in Middletown.
“From the seventh minute on until the end of the first half, it was pouring,” Middletown coach Amy Emerson said of the less-than-ideal playing conditions. “Their half of the field was just mud. Every time I looked up someone was slipping and falling,” Kelseyville coach Dave Wold added.
Middletown won the mud bowl 6-1, scoring five times in the second half to extend a 1-0 halftime lead.
In a game where the Mustangs were without four players, three of them starters, they still managed to improve to 4-0 in the league standings and 7-1-1 overall.
Versatility was the name of the game for the Mustangs, who started Ashlyn Welton at keeper. After holding Kelseyville scoreless in the first half, she moved to offense in the second half, scoring a goal and assisting on another.
Kaleigh Alves scored four minutes into the game to put Middletown ahead to stay and she added two more goals in the second half. Rosie Emerson and Madison Ketchum also scored for the Mustangs.
“It all came together in the second half,” Emerson said of the Mustangs” play. “Just beautiful passing, especially the first passes.”
Kelseyville”s goal came off the foot of Cheyenne Hurley, a shot from midfield that bounced over the head of Middletown”s keeper.
The Knights are 0-4 in league and 4-5 overall.
In other girls” soccer action Thursday:
Clear Lake 3, St. Helena 1
At Lakeport, in a scoreless game after one half, the Clear Lake Cardinals played a strong second half to beat the St. Helena Saints in NCL I action.
Goals by Taylor Helms, Emily Hayes (penalty kick) and Madison Wynacht boosted Clear Lake”s record to 3-1 in league and 9-3-1 overall. Hannah Norwood had an assist.
“Our defenders and midfielders did a better job of moving the ball forward in the second half,” Clear Lake coach Paul Larrea said. “We didn”t play very well at all in the first half. I don”t know if it was homecoming hangover. We were not very focused.”
Standouts for the Cardinals were Helms, who kept pressure on St. Helena”s defense all game, and Shyanne Chapin.
Boys” soccer
Kelseyville 3, Middletown 2
At Middletown, the Middletown Mustangs gave it everything they had and still fell a goal short in a loss to undefeated Kelseyville in NCL I play.
It was a good game, pretty close, but Kelseyville is a great team,” Middletown coach Luis Chairez said. “We”re playing better every game.”
“They played us tough,” Kelseyville coach Eduardo Ledesma said.
Jorge Morales scored twice for the Mustangs (0-4, 0-6). His first goal knotting the match at 1-1 early in the second half. Kelseyville (3-0-1, 6-1-1) pushed in front to stay early in the second half on a goal by Omar Rodriguez. Elias Alvarez followed with a penalty kick a few minutes later to make it 3-1. Middletown closed the gap to 3-2 in the final five minutes.
Enrique Cacho”s goal, assisted by Rodriguez, gave Kelseyville a 1-0 lead.
Cloverdale 3, Lower Lake 0
At Lower Lake, despite outplaying Cloverdale in most facets of the game, Lower Lake coach Dan Griffin said the Lower Lake Trojans couldn”t find the back of the net in a shutout loss to the Eagles.
“A very frustrating loss,” Griffin said. “Their goalie played outstanding. He took so many gambles and every risk he took paid off.”
Lower Lake hit the post on a penalty kick and had several breakaways yield nothing.
“They played so darn hard ? they all had dirt on their jerseys by the end of the game. It”s frustrating to look up at the end of the game and see you lost 3-0.”
Lower Lake is 1-3 in league and 3-5 overall.
St. Helena 6, Clear Lake 1
At Lakeport, the St. Helena Saints blitzed the Clear Lake Cardinals 5-0 in the first half en route to an easy NCL I win.
“The first half our guys were asleep ? we just got outclassed,” Clear Lake co-coach Tony Paskaly said. “In the second half we woke up and gave them a run for their money.”
Ruben Garcia”s goal early in the second half, assisted by Luis Martinez, cut St. Helena”s lead to 5-1.The score remained unchanged until the final minutes of the game.
“The guys are sure showing a lot of heart,” Paskaly said. “I”m proud of them.”
Clear Lake is 0-4 in league and 0-6 overall.
Volleyball
Kelseyville def. Cloverdale
At Cloverdale, a slow start couldn”t stop the Kelseyville Knights from squaring their league record at 1-1 with a 25-23, 24-26, 25-14, 25-20 road victory over the Cloverdale Eagles (1-1).
“It was a rough start,” Kelseyville coach Donelle McCallister said of the first two games.
The Knights regrouped behind eight kills apiece from Carli Mendonca, Kayla Zarate and Heidy Cano, 16 assists from Riley Goff, and three aces by Mary McCallister.
Karissa Huggins” passing was another key to the win, according to the Knights” coach.
“She had a great passing game,” McCallister said.
Clear Lake def. Willits
At Lakeport, the Clear Lake Cardinals barely worked up a sweat while dispatching the Willits Wolverines 25-13, 25-5, 25-6 in NCL I action. Clear Lake improves to 1-1 in the standings while Willits drops to 0-2.
Aliza Atkins pounded out 12 kills for the Cardinals and also had 10 service points, three of them aces. Rachel Wingler served up 17 points with four aces and Emily Psalmonds had 16 points and two aces to go along with 16 assists from the setter position. Kiana Richardson added four kills and two blocks.
Clear Lake also won the junior varsity match, 25-11, 25-19, behind four kills and three aces from Valerie Hutton.
M”town def. Fort Bragg
At Middletown, the Middletown Mustangs rallied from a 21-8 deficit in the first set and went on to sweep the Fort Bragg Timberwolves 26-24, 28-26, 25-16 in NCL I action.
Renee Edwards blasted 16 kills in Fort Bragg”s direction, blocked four shots and had six aces in the win. Ginacia Dustako added six kills, two aces and eight digs while senior setter Ariana Diaz had 17 assists and six digs.
“She had a good game,” Middletown coach Jennifer Breiner said of Dustake. “Ariana did a good job, too.”
Fort Bragg won the JV match 22-25, 25-13, 15-13.
St. Helena def. Lower Lake
At Lower Lake, the St. Helena Saints improved to 2-0 in the NCL I standings with a 25-14, 25-20, 25-21 victory over the Lower Lake Trojans (1-1).
“They played well, they didn”t make many mistakes,” Lower Lake coach Darcie Schmidt said of the Saints, “but my girls hung right in there with them.”
Lower Lake setter Bailey DeLong turned in a strong match with 10 points and 14 assists. Ashlynn Mock led the team with six kills and both Shelbie Harris and Jolene Scarborough blocked four shots.
“Whatever we put over the net, they were scooping it up,” Schmidt said of the Saints.
