WILLITS — Undefeated Kelseyville made quick work of winless Willits in North Central League I varsity volleyball action on Tuesday evening in Willits.
Pursuing a fifth straight league title, the Knights improved to 5-0 with a 25-6, 25-13, 25-21 victory over the 0-5 Wolverines.
Kelseyville coach Donelle McCallister emptied her bench the final two sets. Allison Bryant didn’t have many kill opportunities but still finished with six kills, the same number as Kalee Ellis, who also had a team-high four aces. Setter Paige Bour got a chance to hit up front and took advantage with five kills on only six arm swings. Kaylei Davis added four kills.
Bour also finished with 12 assists and three aces. Ryann Taylor set the third game and had eight assists.
Kelseyville’s junior varsity squad also came away with a win, 25-17, 25-14.
In other volleyball action Tuesday:
Middletown def. Lower Lake
At Middletown, neither team brought its “A-game,” especially when it came to passing the ball, but 13 kills apiece from Abbey Brown and Bella Dubois pushed the Middletown Mustangs past the Lower Lake Trojans 25-14, 25-19, 25-18.
“They were pretty dominant at the net,” Middletown coach Vanessa Davis said of her two middle hitters. Brown also had five digs and two aces while Dubois led the team with five blocks.
One of the biggest difference makers for Middletown (2-3) was outside hitter Emily Santiago, according to Davis.
“She made some great plays and great saves on defense,” Davis said. “She really had a good match.”
Santiago contributed four kills and two aces to go along with six digs.
Also for Middletown, Haylee Sust served 11 points, three of them aces, and had 15 assists.
“She had a good night, too,” Davis said
“Middletown was really scrappy and did not let many balls hit the floor,” Lower Lake coach Niki Emberson said. “I think we were tired from our match the night before (Lower Lake lost a non-league road match to Rancho Cotate on Monday). “One of these days it’s all going to click.”
There weren’t many highlights for the Trojans (1-4), according to Emberson, but two of them were four kills and 11 digs from Marne Johnson and four kills and two blocks from Kayla Doud.
In JV action, Middletown struggled with its serving in the first set but quickly put things together in the second set to sweep Lower Lake 25-21, 25-9.
“We were off with our serves in the first game, then we were on it,” Middletown coach Erika Galvan said.
Tori Tacla served up four aces and Sophie Smith added three aces and a team-best four kills.
“Tori’s serving was awesome,” Galvan said.
Emma Hansen had a good all-around night with two kills, two blocks and three aces.
“She had a good night,” Galvan said.
Middletown’s teams visit Kelseyville on Thursday while Lower Lake hosts Cloverdale.
Fort Bragg def. Clear Lake
At Lakeport, the Clear Lake Cardinals had a 9-6 lead in the fifth and deciding set before the Fort Bragg Timberwolves rallied for a 26-24, 23-25, 25-15, 15-25, 15-12 victory.
“It was good competition and we’re pretty much the same,” Clear Lake coach Marci Psalmonds said when asked to compare the two teams. “They played well, it was just depressing at the end.”
Wasted in the loss was a big night by Clear Lake’s Shaelyn McIntire, who pounded out 21 kills to go along with 23 digs, both team highs. Sydney Howe’s setting — 26 assists — and serving — 15 points, three aces — was another bright spot, according to Psalmonds.
“She set really well tonight,” Psalmonds said of Howe.
Natalie Perry added eight kills and Emma Boatright had seven kills and four blocks. Libero Cady Harmon contributed 18 digs.
“We gave them the first game, we should have won that,” Psalmonds said. “In the fifth set we were afraid to hit the ball. They were being cautious.”
Fort Bragg improves to 3-2 in league play while Clear Lake drops to 2-3.
In JV action, after dropping a marathon 32-30 first set that Clear Lake coach Morgan Psalmonds called “intense,” the Cardinals rallied to defeat Fort Bragg 30-32, 25-10, 15-11 and remain undefeated (5-0) in the league standings.
Abby Mertle pounded out a team-best eight kills while Felisa Cortez served up 16 points, including four aces. The Cardinals also received solid play from libero Lexey Wurm, who was filling in for Raina Clifton (promoted to the varsity).
“Lexey played there last year so she stepped right in and did a real good job,” Psalmonds said.
Wurm had 10 digs, 11 service points and an assist. Mertle also served for six points.
Clear Lake’s teams are home Thursday to play Willits.
Sonoma Academy def. Upper Lake
At Upper Lake, calling Sonoma Academy the better team on this night, the Upper Lake Cougars fell 25-15, 19-25, 25-17, 25-16 to the Coyotes in NCL II action.
“I didn’t feel like we got outplayed,” Upper Lake coach Dani Paige Gudmundson Pena said. “I felt like we played really well. Sonoma Academy has a good team and we competed against them.”
Laylah Medina led the Cougars with four kills and nine blocks while Seneca Snow added five digs, four aces and three kills.
In JV action, Upper Lake swept Sonoma Academy 25-18, 25-22 behind solid play from a handful of Cougars, including Dena Loans Arrow, who served eight straight points to close out the first set.
“Upper Lake worked together on the court as a team and served a great game,” Upper Lake coach Fawn Rave said.
Loans Arrow finished the match with a team-best seven aces.
Also for Upper Lake, Mycaela Stillman and Karla Martin provided strong play in the back row, according to Rave, while Hayleigh Sertich finished with four kills, three digs and two aces. HeavenLee Loans Arrow added four kills, two blocks and two aces.
Upper Lake’s teams return to action Friday against Roseland Collegiate Prep in Santa Rosa.
