LAKEPORT — Twenty-four hours after losing in three sets at home to undefeated North Central League I leader Roseland University Prep, the Clear Lake Cardinals pounded their way back into the win column Thursday night with a 25-21, 25-11, 25-10 victory over the Middletown Mustangs in Lakeport.
“They never let up,” Clear Lake head coach Marci Psalmonds said of her team’s consistent play against the Mustangs (4-8). “We stayed up the whole time and took it to them.”
A couple of adjustments by Clear Lake’s hitters after a competitive first set made for quick second and third sets.
“We started hitting the holes (in Middletown’s defense), found the open spot,” Psalmonds said.
Abby Mertle led another balanced attack by Clear Lake’s front line with seven kills and three blocks. Zoey Pepper also had seven kills while Camrin Pivniska finished with six and Stella Hill had four.
Clear Lake’s two setters also were on their game. Sydney Howe led the team with 14 assists, 15 service points, including three aces, and also had three kills. Sierra Bruch added 13 assists.
“I’m blessed with two good setters,” Psalmonds said.
Libero Raina Clifton finished with 14 digs.
The Cardinals are 9-3 in league play.
“Clear Lake played a very clean game, best game I’ve seen them play this year,” Middletown head coach Vanessa Davis said. “They outplayed us in all aspects.”
Kamryn Atkins led the Mustangs with four kills, Camille Schaffer had three kills and two blocks, and Emma Hansen added two kills and three blocks.
“It was a team loss. There’s not one person I can say had a good match. The seniors weren’t leading and the juniors didn’t step up. Not one person showed up today,” Davis added.
In a junior varsity match that went the distance, including a marathon second set, Clear Lake rallied to beat Middletown 22-25, 32-30, 15-13.
“It was awesome,” Clear Lake head coach Morgan Psalmonds said. “The loudest I’ve ever heard a JV volleyball crowd.”
In a match that featured all kinds of long rallies, match point ended up being a serve into the net.
“I’ll take it,” Psalmonds said.
There were no shortage of Clear Lake heroes, beginning with Rubi Ford and Quincy Paarsch. Ford led the team with seven kills and also had 12 digs while Paarsch, the team’s libero, recorded nearly half of the Cardinals’ total digs for the match – 27 of 56. Kaylah Billig and Rylie Andrews added five kills apiece and Billig also had a block.
Another standout was Tori Tropf, who came off the bench to give Clear Lake a huge spark, according to Psalmonds.
“Our front row was struggling, so she came in and did an amazing job,” Psalmonds said.
Tropf also served for 10 points and had two aces.
Makayla Mace, Bella Santiago and Cora Holley turned in solid performances for the Mustangs, according to Middletown head coach Erika Galvan.
“Makayla had a bunch of kills and a ton of service points, she was just on fire,” Galvan said. “Bella had at least 10 kills. Cora served six points in a row in the first game.
“Both of the last two games were fights the entire way, point by point,” Galvan added. “It was exciting.”
Clear Lake’s teams are on the road Tuesday at Lower Lake while Middletown travels to Kelseyville.
In other volleyball action Thursday:
Kelseyville def. St. Helena
At St. Helena, Larue Furlani connected for 15 kills and Kaylei Davis added 14 more as the Kelseyville Knights scored a 25-19, 22-25, 27-25, 25-21 NCL I road win against the Saints.
“Our kids are starting to play ball, which is kind of nice,” Kelseyville head coach Donelle McCallister said.
Kelseyville (3-6) has won three of four since opening league play with five straight losses. The Knights still have seven matches left before the regular season ends in two weeks.
“We have two matches next week and four the following week,” McCallister said.
Another match with Lower Lake, who the Knights have yet to play this season because of COVID-19 quarantines by both teams, has yet to be scheduled.
“They’re still making some silly mistakes, but now they’re fighting their way back,” McCallister said of the Knights.
Setter Jayden Paulich had a monster night for Kelseyville with 25 digs and 18 assists. Emily Sandoval also had 18 assists.
St. Helena won the JV match 25-21, 25-21.
Kelseyville is home Tuesday to play Middletown. JV action starts at 5 p.m.
Upper Lake def. Technology
At Rohnert Park, in NCL II action, the Upper Lake Cougars needed only three sets and 40 minutes to dispatch the Technology Titans 25-5, 25-6, 25-9.
Upper Lake improved to 8-1 in league play with its rapid-fire victory, a match that was largely a serving event for the Cougars.
Dani Paige Gudmundson Pena, the Cougars’ head coach, said she’s never had a quicker varsity match.
“No, never,” she said. “We were expecting to have a late night, we didn’t know if would get to eat after the match. This is probably the earliest we’ll get home from a match in Santa Rosa.
“They were on a mission,” Gudmundson Pena said of her players.
Zoey Petrie and Taylar Minnis combined to score 20 points at the service line in the first set, Petrie reeling off the team’s first 11 points and Minnis serving nine in a row.
In the second set, it was Nathaly Velasco with 13 consecutive service points. Rylee Dalton had 12 in row in the third set.
Minnis led the team with six kills and five blocks while Petrie added five kills. Velasco had three kills and two blocks.
Upper Lake is home Tuesday to play Roseland Collegiate Prep.
In JV action Thursday, Upper Lake defeated Grace Academy 25-18, 25-18 behind four kills and four aces from Jordann Gudmundson, three kills and eight assists from Hope Marcks, and seven aces from Kyliah Whipple.
“The girls have had a bit of trouble adjusting to a full team back, but they were able to work together to pull off the win,” Upper Lake head coach Fawn Rave said. “I am proud of all the girls adjusting and working together all season.”
Fort Bragg def. Willits
At Willits, the Fort Bragg Timberwolves moved to 11-1 in NCL I play with a 25-15, 26-24, 25-20 victory over archrival Willits, setting up a first-place showdown with RUP (12-0) Tuesday in Fort Bragg.
“I’m hoping we put our best game together,” Fort Bragg head coach Kim Mertle said with an eye toward the RUP match. “If everyone is on we can do this.”
The Timberwolves also have a match remaining against Clear Lake (9-3).
Against Willits, Lucy Hendricks registered 10 kills to go along with two blocks, five aces and 19 digs.
“It was a good win all around,” Mertle said. “We had 20 aces as a team.”
Fort Bragg also won the JV match 25-3, 25-20.
RUP def. Lower Lake
At Santa Rosa, Roseland University Prep improved to 12-0 in the NCL I standings with a 25-13, 25-14, 25-11 win over Lower Lake (0-10).
RUP meets Fort Bragg (11-1) on Tuesday in Fort Bragg where a share of first place is on the line for the host Timberwolves.
RUP also beat Lower Lake in the JV match 25-6, 25-9.
