LAKEPORT >> Winning the first set wasn’t enough for the Clear Lake Cardinals on Thursday night against the St. Helena Saints, defending North Central League I varsity volleyball champions.
St. Helena rallied for a 22-25, 25-21, 25-15, 25-12 victory, handing Clear Lake (4-1) its first league loss in the process. The Saints (5-1) remain one game behind Kelseyville (6-0) in the league standings.
“We played well the first two games,” Clear Lake Marci Psalmonds said. “Our passing went to pot after that.”
Emily Psalmonds, the Cardinals’ setter, turned in one of her better efforts of the season with 25 assists and nine digs, according to mom Marci.
“She did a great job,” Psalmonds said.
Rachel Wingler led the Cardinals with 15 kills and 11 digs.
“St. Helena struggled with their passing the first couple of games,” Psalmonds said. “Once they got it going, they took over.”
Clear Lake’s JV squad improved to 5-0 in league play with a 25-10, 22-25, 15-12 victory. Kiana Richardson and Camille Donald had seven kills apiece for the Cardinals while Kylie Udy led the team with 10 assists.
In other volleyball action Thursday:
St. Vincent def. Upper Lake
At Petaluma, St. Vincent defeated Upper Lake 25-19, 25-15, 25-15 in NCL II action.
“Our girls worked really hard,” Upper Lake coach Raelene Cromwell said. “That’s one of our better matches against St. Vincent.”
Christina Wilson and Brenna Sanchez had five kills apiece. Wilson also led the Cougars with 20 digs.
St. Vincent won the JV match 25-13, 25-14. Jasmine Velsaco had three kills and an ace for Upper Lake.
Girls’ soccer
K’ville 3, Lower Lake 1
At Kelseyville, Megan Touros scored twice in the first half to lift the Kelseyville Knights to a league win over the Lower Lake Trojans.
Touros moved from forward to sweeper in the second half after Maria Verdugo scored to give the Knights a 3-1 lead.
“She kind of locks things down back there,” Kelseyville coach Eric Hoefler said of Touros.
Touros sandwiched goals around a Lower Lake score in the first half to give the Knights, now 2-2-2 in league play, a 2-1 halftime lead.
“It was a real tight match,” Hoefler said.
