MIDDLETOWN >> In a marathon match that went the distance, the Clear Lake Cardinals rallied to beat the Middletown Mustangs 23-25, 26-24, 17-25, 29-27, 15-7 in North Central League I varsity volleyball action on Thursday in Middletown.
Both teams are now 3-3 in the league standings.
Without a key starter — freshman Kiana Richardson — in the lineup Jasmine Rice came off the bench to give the Cardinals a big lift. She finished with six kills, two blocks and five digs.
“She did a great job,” Clear Lake coach Marci Psalmonds said.
Aliza Atkins led the Cardinals with 18 kills, four blocks, 16 digs and 15 service points. Also for Clear Lake, Rachel Wingler led the team with 21 points, setter Emily Psalmonds had 32 assists, and Logan Robinson had a team-best 17 digs.
“We needed to redeem ourselves,” Psalmonds said after back-to-back three-set losses to Kelseyville and St. Helena.
“We played great, we were amazing for most of the match,” Middletown coach Jennifer Breiner said. “We made a bunch of errors at the end of game four and in game five that cost us.”
Renee Edwards and Emily Lescher, Middletown”s middle hitters, powered the Mustangs. Edwards finished with 15 kills, 11 blocks and six aces while Lescher had 12 kills, four blocks and two aces.
“Edwards was a blocking machine,” Breiner said.
Ginacia Dusatko added eight kills, two blocks and two aces.
