LAKEPORT — Stella Hill, one of six seniors on Clear Lake High School’s varsity volleyball roster, recorded a season-high 17 kills Thursday night as the Cardinals wrapped up a 14-2 North Central League I season with a 25-19, 25-12, 22-25, 25-16 victory over the Cloverdale Eagles in Lakeport.
Clear Lake’s league and regular-season finale also doubled as senior night as the Cardinals honored six-eighths of their roster prior to the match with flowers, gifts and a bit of entertainment courtesy of the team’s only two underclassmen, sophomores Amber Smart and Quincy Paarsch. They performed a skit to honor senior teammates Hill, Abby Mertle, Sierra Bruch, Montana Wells, Rubi Ford and Maddy Brewster.
“They got a lot of loot,” Clear Lake head coach Marci Psalmonds said of the six seniors, the catalyst behind Clear Lake’s 28-3 regular-season record and second-place finish in the league standings behind undefeated champion Roseland University Prep (16-0).
While a few tears were shed during the senior introductions, the Cardinals shifted into game mode as soon as the first set got under way against the Eagles (7-9).
“We started a little slow but were playing real well by the second set,” Psalmonds said. “We had a little lull in the third set but picked it back up by the fourth set.”
Clear Lake needed five sets to beat Cloverdale earlier this season in Cloverdale.
Hill had 10 digs and five aces to go along with her 17 kills. Mertle finished with 11 kills and one block while Bruch, the team’s setter, had 41 assists, 21 digs and three kills.
“She played great tonight,” Psalmonds said of Bruch. “Our passing was a little off, so she had to scramble a lot. That’s normal for her. I’m really going to miss that next year.”
Also for the Cardinals, Wells, Paarsch and Ford finished with five kills apiece. Ford also had 12 digs, 11 service points and two aces. Brewster added three kills.
Clear Lake won’t know until Sunday’s North Coast Section at-large and seeding meeting who, when and where its playing in next week’s playoffs. The Cardinals figure to be one of the top seeds in the Division 5 field, perhaps No. 1.
“No. 1 or 2, I would be happy with that,” Psalmonds said.
Junior varsity
Clear Lake’s junior varsity squad won the first set against Cloverdale, but the Eagles rallied for a 17-25, 25-21, 17-15 victory to end the Cardinals’ season.
“We put up a lot of swings and had 29 kills, but they (Eagles) are a very good defensive team,” Clear Lake head coach Morgan Psalmonds said.
Clear Lake did its best to exploit a weakness in Cloverdale’s defense by setting up outside hitter Kaylah Billig for crosscourt kill attempts and the sophomore came through with 16 kills on the night. She also had the team’s only block as well as three digs.
“It was a tough battle,” Psalmonds said of the three-set loss.
Other Clear Lake standouts were Halley Escalera with six kills and four digs, Emily Gersalia with 21 assists, five digs and three kills, Violet Stewart with 15 service points, three aces, eight digs and three assists, and Atiana Patino with 15 digs.
“She was my all-around utility player,” Psalmonds said of Stewart,
The Cardinals came a long way since first taking the court back in mid-August, according to Psalmonds.
“Where they ended up, I can say I’m a very proud coach,” Psalmonds said. “We didn’t peak, but hopefully they’ll peak next year when they move up to the varsity.”
Patino and Gersalia are joining the varsity squad for its postseason run beginning early next week in the North Coast Section Division 5 playoffs.
