LAKEPORT — Six kills and three blocks from Abby Mertle and seven digs and five aces from Amber Smart helped the Clear Lake Cardinals register their first varsity volleyball victory of the 2022 season, 25-13, 25-14, 25-20, over the Upper Lake Cougars in non-league action Thursday evening at Lakeport.
“It was a balanced attack,” Clear Lake head coach Marci Psalmonds said of her team’s performance, which follows two days after the Cardinals’ marathon 2 1/2-hour loss to Colusa in the season opener for both teams at Lakeport.
Thursday’s match was over in a little more than an hour.
“We only had six service errors,” Psalmonds said of Clear Lake’s improvement from the service line after the Cardinals’ tough night Tuesday when they had 14 service errors against Colusa. “Upper Lake really struggled with its serving.”
“Our serving was not what it was last weekend,” Upper Lake head coach Dani Paige Gudmundson Pena said in comparing Thursday’s match with the Cougars’ season-opening tournament last weekend in Middletown. “But the six girls I brought off the bench in the third match played great and served well.”
Backed by a large and loud rooting section, the Cardinals made quick work of the Cougars in the first two sets, anchored by the play of Mertle up front and libero Smart’s defense. Plenty of other Cardinals chipped in too, including Quincy Paarsch with five kills and seven digs, Stella Hill with four kills and three aces, Montana Wells with four kills, and setter Sierra Bruch with 18 assists and eight digs.
“Everybody came through,” Psalmonds said. “Quincy had some good hits and Amber is just solid back there (on defense).”
Psalmonds said her players are definitely enjoying the fan support they’ve received in their first two home matches.
“It’s been great,” she said. “They’ve been loud but they’re not derogatory.”
Pena said the Cougars will try to get back on their game Friday when they host the second annual Cougar Invitational. Varsity teams from Upper Lake, Clear Lake, Kelseyville and Middletown are taking part. Mendocino was scheduled to compete in the round-robin tournament but has dropped out. Junior varsity teams from the same four schools play Saturday in Upper Lake.
“I am proud of them,” Pena said. “I’m hoping tomorrow we can put this behind us and have a great day of volleyball.”
For Upper Lake, Nathaly Velasco led the team with five kills, Taylar Minnis had a team-best nine blocks and Jaydyn Poe had four kills.
JV match
Coming off a season-opening tournament championship at the Summer Spikefest in Middletown last weekend, Upper Lake remained undefeated on the young season with a 25-22, 25-13 non-league win over the Clear Lake Cardinals.
“The girls played well on the court tonight,” Upper Lake head coach Fawn Rave said. “Their swinging and serving was great. We are still working out positions and the girls are adjusting well.”
Camila Martin reeled off eight straight service points in the first set with four aces and also had a kill. Hope Marcks led the Cougars with five kills and also had three assists, Ashlyn Wurm chipped in with four kills, four assists and one ace, and Amiee Schaffers added three kills and two blocks.
For Clear Lake, which opened its season Tuesday with a home win over Colusa, Kaylah Billig led the team with three kills and Atiana Patino had eight digs, seven service points and two aces. Billig also had an ace.
“Schaefers and Wurm, they’re both studs,” Clear Lake head coach Morgan Psalmonds said of the two Upper Lake players. “Both played well against us.”
Added Psalmonds, “We struggled tonight with our communication.”
Both teams return to action Saturday in the JV bracket of the Cougar Invitational at Upper Lake. All varsity matches are Friday. Other competing teams are Middletown and Kelseyville.
