KELSEYVILLE >> This one went the limit.
In a matchup of varsity volleyball archrivals with identical 5-0 league records entering play, the two-time defending champions, the Kelseyville Knights, won the first two sets and then held on for dear life before finally putting away the Clear Lake Cardinals 26-24, 25-19, 24-26, 21-25, 15-10 on Thursday evening before a capacity crowd in Kelseyville.
Kelseyville is now 6-0 and alone atop the North Central League I standings. Clear Lake falls a game off the pace at 5-1 as both teams prepare to close out the first half of their league schedules on Tuesday. They’ll meet against Oct. 24 in Lakeport.
“My experienced players settled us down,” Donelle McCallister said when asked about the fifth and deciding set after Clear Lake had grabbed the momentum with wins in sets three and four. “Payton (Conrad, the Knights’ libero) is a third-year player and she worked her heart out.”
Conrad injured her elbow on Tuesday in a league win over Cloverdale but it didn’t slow the junior down against Clear Lake.
“She was very effective,” McCallister said of Conrad, who put 18 serves into play with only one service error and six aces.
Allison Bryant’s 22 kills powered the Kelseyville offense and setter Tymeka Green had 31 assists.
Another factor for the Knights, according to McCallister, was the front row play of Kenydall Nunn, who blocked Kiana Richardson, Clear Lake’s powerful outside hitter, four times.
“Clear Lake is a very, very put together team, they work so well together,” McCallister said. “We squeaked by tonight.”
Clear Lake coach Marci Psalmonds said the Cardinals dug their own hole by losing the first two sets. They had a chance to win the first game and actually had a set point before Kelseyville rallied for the 26-24 win.
“They got the jump on us in the fifth set, just like the first two games and we couldn’t get it back,” Psalmonds said.
Clear Lake struggled with its serve receive game as well.
“They played good, I can’t complain too much,” Psalmonds said of her players. “Kelseyville is a good team.”
Richardson finished with 15 kills and Camille Donald added 13 kills as well as 15 digs. Other standouts for the Cardinals included Valerie Hutton with 11 kills and Corin Alakszay with five kills and seven aces. However, Psalmonds said Clear Lake’s player of the match was setter Kylie Udy, who ended up with 41 assists and 12 digs.
“Kylie had a great match,” Psalmonds said.
“We still decide our own destiny,” Psalmonds said with an eye toward the Oct. 24 rematch in Lakeport.
Both teams seemed to feed off the energy of an enthusiastic crowd, according to McCallister.
“The crowd was a lot of fun on both sides,” McCallister said. “I wish we could have that kind of crowd every match.”
The junior varsity match also held plenty of intrigue as the Knights and Cardinals, both 4-1 entering league play, battled the maximum three sets with Clear Lake prevailing 27-25, 18-25, 18-16.
For the Cardinals, Natalie Perez led the way with seven kills and six service points, Joy Ingalls had a team-best 24 digs, and Emily Keiser added 12 assists.
“They were excited,” Brianna Butcher said of the big win.
“It was a battle,” Kelseyville coach Deanna Goff said. “I thought the girls played good. I told them to hold their heads up high.”
Kelseyville leaders were Hayllie Beverlin with six kills and three aces, Mikayla Gustolise with six digs and three aces, Kaley O’Boyle with six assists, Jenna Williams with four aces, and Alexa Vargas with three aces and four assists.
In other volleyball action Thursday:
Willits def. Lower Lake
At Lower Lake, the Willits Wolverines won their first league match at Lower Lake’s expense, beating the Trojans 25-22, 19-25, 25-22, 25-21.
Willits is now 1-5 in league play and Lower Lake 0-6.
Lily Griffin did all she could do to put the Trojans in the win column. She had a team-best 13 aces, five kills and 10 digs while Maria Santos also had 10 digs.
Griffin scored 10 points at the service line in the fourth set as Lower Lake opened up a commanding 11-0 lead only to lose that game and the match.
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen that before,” Lower Lake coach Jen Emberson said.
The news was better for the Lower Lake JVs, who prevailed 25-14, 25-17.
M’town def. St. Helena
At Middletown, the Mustangs dropped the first two sets but came roaring back to beat the St. Helena Saints 15-25, 15-25, 25-23, 25-20, 15-11.
Taylor Griffin’s 11 kills and eight more kills from Abbey Brown helped fuel the Middletown comeback as the Mustangs improved to 2-4 in league play. The back row passing of Taelor Roderick and Amy Herrmann also figured heavily in the win, according to Middletown coach Vanessa Davis.
“The serve receive on this team rocked it out of the park,” Davis said. “It was a whole team effort, it was pretty awesome. They didn’t give up at all.”
Middletown picked up another win in the JV match, 25-18, 24-26, 15-4 behind nine kills from Rylann Wright, who was celebrating her birthday.
“She was on fire,” Middletown coach Nikeedra Davis said. “She made a huge impact on our team tonight.”
Upper Lake def. RCP
At Upper Lake, the Upper Lake Cougars began the second half of their NCL II schedule with a marathon 25-22, 21-25, 25-17, 20-25, 16-14 victory over Roseland Collegiate Prep.
Christina Wilson powered Upper Lake with 22 kills, 15 digs and two aces, and Briana Binns, pressed into service at setter, had 18 assists, 16 digs and three aces. Also for the Cougars, Brenna Sanchez had eight kills, 12 digs, three aces and two blocks, and Seneca Snow added five kills and 12 digs.
Upper Lake is now 7-2 in league play.
“They pulled it together and pulled it off,” Upper Lake coach Raelene Cromwell said.
Upper Lake’s JVs played in Santa Rosa on Thursday and defeated Elsie Allen in a non-league match, 25-20, 25-12.
“We only brought seven girls and all seven played a huge role in our win,” Upper Lake coach Dani Paige Gudmundson Pena said. “Maria Wade did a great job on the net with eight kills.”
Wade also led the Cougars with six aces.
Another standout was Molly McCabe with 13 service points and six kills.
