MIDDLETOWN — A team Middletown has struggled with in past years put up another good fight Thursday night at The Barn, only this time the Mustangs came out on top against the St. Helena Saints, 25-15, 23-25, 25-11, 27-29, 15-10, in a North Central League I varsity volleyball match that went the distance.
“I’m glad we got that one under our belts,” Middletown head coach Vanessa Davis said of the win against the Saints, which gives the Mustangs a 2-1 league record. “I’m so proud of my girls. We came out energetic and were hitting the ball real well.”
Skylar Williams, a senior team captain who never leaves the floor, played a big part in the victory with 23 digs, 11 kills, seven service points and five aces.
“She made some great passes tonight,” Davis said of Williams.
Parker Wink, one of two setters for the Mustangs, had 11 assists, but it was her serving that hurt St. Helena at key points in the match. One of those times was late in the fifth set when she served back-to-back aces. She finished with 17 service points and six aces.
“All at critical times in the match,” Davis said of Wink’s aces.
Pounding the ball up front for Middletown were Kamryn Atkins with seven kills and three blocks and Camille Schaffer with five kills. Schaffer also helped out at the service line with 11 points.
St. Helena fell to 0-3 in the league standings.
“St. Helena is going to get better, they have so many tall players,” Davis said. “I wish I could get some of that height.”
The Mustangs participate in the Dixon Tournament on Saturday. They hit the road next week for league matches against Clear Lake (Tuesday) and Kelseyville (Thursday).
Junior varsity
Despite suiting up only eight players and having to shuffle their starting lineup, the Middletown Mustangs prevailed 25-18, 25-14 in the junior varsity match.
“I had a skeleton crew,” Middletown head coach Erika Galvan said.
Four players, including Middletown’s starting libero, missed the match — one because of her involvement showing animals at the Lake County Fair in Lakeport and three others for medical reasons. That left Galvan scrambling to cobble together the best lineup she could.
“Our energy was amazing and our attitudes helped pull us through,” Galvan said.
Middletown had a big night from the service line led by Evelyn Finney, who served seven points in the first set and five more in the second set. She also had four aces. Taylor Thompson added seven points, three aces and three kills, and Harley Holley logged a team-best eight kills to go along with five points and two aces.
“She was on fire in the middle,” Galvan said of Holley’s play in the front row. “Something clicked for her today.”
In other NCL I volleyball action Thursday:
Willits. def. Lower Lake
At Willits, in a battle of two teams looking for their first league win, the Willits Wolverines (1-3) got it with a 25-5, 25-16, 25-20 sweep of the Lower Lake Trojans (0-4).
Lower Lake coach Kate Anderson said the Trojans’ effort improved with each set.
“We definitely learned from our errors,” she said. “Willits has some pretty amazing servers and hitters.”
Standouts for Lower Lake were senior captain Bella Salazar, Avery Adamcyk and Madalynn Chernoh, according to Anderson.
“She helped to keep our energy up and she had some solid hits,” Anderson said of Salazar, who finished with five kills and three aces.
Adamcyk, Lower Lake’s setter, recorded 30 assists while middle hitter Chernoh played well up front.
“Willits had a really good right-side hitter who was good at crosscourt hits,” Anderson said.
Lower Lake’s coach said the Trojans’ passing game needs to improve as the team moves forward with its league schedule.
Junior varsity
Lower Lake’s JV squad fell 25-18, 25-18 in what Anderson called the Trojans’ best effort of the season.
Hailee McRae’s passing and play in the front row was a bright spot for the Trojans. Laticia Ramos led the team with four aces and Kennedy Thomas added three aces.
“Our serving and passing were improved,” Anderson said.
Both Lower Lake teams are in action Saturday at the Carmichael Tournament. The Trojans resume league play Tuesday against Roseland University Prep in Santa Rosa. Lower Lake’s next home match is Thursday against Clear Lake.
Fort Bragg def. Cloverdale
At Fort Bragg, the undefeated Fort Bragg Timberwolves (4-0) kept pace with RUP atop the NCL I standings with a 25-20, 25-27, 25-18, 25-14 win over the Cloverdale Eagles.
Lemara Hendricks powered Fort Bragg’s attack with 10 kills and three blocks while Maddie Triplett had six kills and a team-high 20 assists. Other Timberwolf standouts were Carmen Velazquez with 26 digs, 18 assists, six kills and three aces, and Montana Robles with a season-high 28 digs.
“She played well in the back and ran a lot of balls down,” Fort Bragg head coach Kimberly Mertle said of Robles.
” It was an overall good performance,” Mertle added of the Timberwolves’ effort against the Eagles (2-2).
Fort Bragg’s JV squad beat Cloverdale 25-13, 25-12.
