KELSEYVILLE >> A year ago they won the North Central League I championship with a 13-1 record. A year later they were almost as good.
The Kelseyville Knights closed out another strong league campaign with a 25-13, 25-6, 25-16 win over the Willits Wolverines on Thursday night in Kelseyville. The Knights posted a 12-2 record, good for sole possession of second place behind undefeated St. Helena, the only team that has beaten Kelseyville in league play since 2012.
“Most of our matches went 3-0, so we were officially doing our job,” Kelseyville coach Donelle McCallister said of her players.
The next stop for the Knights is the North Coast Section Division IV playoffs where they will be a wild-card team. They won”t know who they are playing or where until Sunday”s at-large and seeding meeting.
“The playoffs are like icing on the cake,” McCallister said. “Whatever happens there, happens. What I”m happy about is how we handled ourselves in league. We worked hard and I”m proud of all of these girls. They are a stellar group, good people who also get good grades.”
Kelseyville didn”t need to exert much effort in its regular-season finale against the Wolverines, who close out league play at 0-14. On senior night, the Knights” veterans came through. Abby McQueen led the team with 11 kills and four aces, Elena Goss added five kills, Mary McCallister had 10 digs, and Eryka Dale anchored the defense.
“She did a good job in the back row,” McCallister said of Dale.
“I told myself I wasn”t going to cry but I did,” McCallister said of the ceremony honoring her seniors before what could be their final home match. “My seniors are awesome people who I have traveled a lot of miles with between high school and club ball. I”m going to miss them all.”
McCallister also had some words of praise for the Wolverines, a mostly young squad with a new coach.
“They didn”t give up, they kept plugging along,” McCallister said. “I think they”re going to get better with a little time.”
