UPPER LAKE >> Playing an ambitious preseason schedule has translated into a 3-0 start for the Upper Lake Cougars in North Central League II play after their 59-48 victory over the St. Vincent Mustangs on Tuesday night in Upper Lake.
And having a standout guard like junior Natalie Karlsson is one big reason why the Cougars won their fourth straight to move back above the .500 mark at 8-7.
Karlsson had a relatively quiet first half with only seven points but that all changed in the third quarter when she tallied 25 of the Cougars’ 27 points, hitting six of her seven 3-pointers in the period.
“It was about four minutes of fury, that’s how I would describe it,” Upper Lake coach Mike Smith said. “She just unloaded on them. I’ve never seen anything like that.”
Karlsson’s big night didn’t stop in the scoring column. She also led the team with 12 rebounds and 11 steals – a triple-double performance.
Isabelle Rorabaugh scored all eight of her points in the first half for Upper Lake.
It was a 19-19 game at halftime before Karlsson broke things open during a 27-17 third quarter.
The Cougars won the junior varsity game 38-22.
Upper Lake hits the road Friday to play the Calistoga Wildcats. Junior varsity action tips off at 3:30 p.m.
