UPPER LAKE — Despite losing twice to Clear Lake in pool play Saturday, the Upper Lake High School junior varsity volleyball team rallied from a set down to beat those same Cardinals 22-25, 27-25, 15-12 in the championship match of the second annual Cougar Invitational in Upper Lake.
The pool play lineup had to be adjusted at the last second when Anderson Valley’s team, which initially showed up at the Upper Lake gym but almost as quickly loaded back up in their van for the return trip home.
“They walked out during the first match against Clear Lake,” Upper Lake head coach Fawn Rave said. “They didn’t tell us (why they left), they just left.”
Clear Lake went 3-0 in pool play to reach the championship match. The Cardinals, coached by Phil Psalmonds — who was filling in for his daughter, JV head coach Morgan Psalmonds (away on a trip along with varsity head coach Marci Psalmonds, Phil’s wife) — beat Middletown 25-21, 23-25, 15-5 and Upper Lake twice — 26-24, 25-16 and 25-23, 25-18.
Upper Lake also beat Middletown 25-19, 18-25, 15-4 to secure second place in pool play and earn another shot at Clear Lake in the championship match, and the third meeting went the Cougars’ way.
“A nailbiter for sure,” Rave said. “Both teams did awesome. It was literally point for point at times and we had some good rallies.
“We had some ups and downs throughout the day but pulled together as a team and pulled out the win,” Rave added.
Amiee Schaefers led the Cougars with eight kills in the championship match, Hope Marcks added seven kills and five assists, Ashlyn Wurm contributed four aces, three kills and three assists, Angelina Rivera added three aces and three blocks, and All-Tournament selection Triniti Kuecker had 10 digs and four kills.
“I am extremely proud of the girls,” Rave said. “I chose Triniti Kuecker as All-Tourney for her hard work all day in the front and back row and service line. She is an all-around great player and I rarely have to tell her where should be.”
Psalmonds, who is Clear Lake’s head coach in girls basketball and an assistant coach in softball, said his limited knowledge of volleyball didn’t help the Cardinals’ cause but that his players performed well anyway, with a big assist from varsity players Abby Mertle, Sierra Bruch and Quincy Paarsch, who served as assistant coaches on the Clear Lake bench.
Atiana Patino earned All-Tourney honors for Clear Lake.
