UPPER LAKE >> The Upper Lake Cougars bounced back into the North Central League II win column with a hard-fought 58-54 victory over Roseland Prep of Santa Rosa in varsity girls’ basketball action on Friday night in Upper Lake.
After falling out of the league’s unbeaten ranks with a 45-34 loss to undefeated Sonoma Academy on Tuesday, Upper Lake improved to 5-1 in the NCL II standings and 10-8 overall behind 31 points from junior guard Natalie Karlsson, who is 43 shy of 1,000 for her career.
“She got hot, but she also trusted her bigs (teammates Kejhana Taylor and Brenna Sanchez),” Upper Lake coach Mike Smith said.
Taylor and Sanchez combined for another 14 points. Taylor also led the team with nine rebounds.
Coming off a season-low seven-point outing against a Sonoma Academy squad that double-teamed her all game long, Karlsson also had six steals and four assists in the win, the Cougars’ sixth in their last seven games. She finished with seven 3-pointers, five of those coming in the second quarter.
The two teams were tied 33-all at halftime. Upper Lake took a 51-47 lead into the final period.
“We were able to hold tough,” Smith said. “We rebounded really well.”
Solid play off the bench from sixth man Dakota Fugate also helped the Cougars’ cause.
“She played a heck of a game,” Smith said. “You don’t want to set a screen or a pick near her. She provides a physical presence that we need.”
Fugate and Isabel Rorabaugh each finished with five points.
Roseland Prep won the junior varsity game 36-30.
