From left, Montana Wells, Sierra Bruch, Quincy Paarsch, Rubi Ford, Amber Smart and Stella Hill do that voodoo they do after winning a point against St. Helena. (Photos courtesy of Trett Bishop)
LAKEPORT — When a point was needed, Clear Lake High School senior setter Sierra Bruch found a way — lots of ways — to get it on Tuesday night as the Cardinals warmed up for their first-place showdown with Roseland University Prep by beating the St. Helena Saints 25-12, 25-14, 25-20 in North Central League I varsity volleyball action at Lakeport.
"She was all over the place," Clear Lake head coach Marci Psalmonds said of Bruch, who filled up the stats sheet to the tune of 19 assists, 13 digs, 12 service points, three aces and two kills. "She had an all-around good night."
Montana Wells readies a serve.
Clear Lake improved to 2-0 in league play and 9-1 overall with its ninth straight victory — all in straight sets. RUP, the Cardinals' opponent on Thursday in Lakeport, is the defending NCL I champion. The Knights, who joined the league last year, went 15-0 in 2021 and were 2-0 going into their match Tuesday night against Willits (final results were not available).
"We'll see what happens," Psalmonds said. "We'll have to step it up ... our defense was a little shaky tonight."
While Clear Lake dominated the first two sets against the Saints (0-2), St. Helena gave the Cardinals a pretty good battle in the third set, taking the lead at one point before the Cardinals rallied.
Abby Mertle's seven kills and two blocks led Clear Lake in its latest win. Stella Hill added six kills, Quincy Paarsch had four, and libero Amber Smart contributed 13 service points and four aces.
Clear Lake had another big night from the service line with 14 aces.
In the junior varsity match, Clear Lake had to rally from a set down to beat St. Helena 15-25, 25-8, 15-13.
"We could not serve receive in the first game for anything," Clear Lake head coach Morgan Psalmonds said. "But we found our rhythm at the end of the first game and going into the second game."
Clear Lake head coach Marci Psalmonds channels a little Walter Payton, the late NFL great, while huddling with players.
Clear Lake built a big lead early in the second set and never looked back.
The third and final set bounced back and forth, the two teams within a point or two of each other the entire way. With a large and noisy crowd rooting on the Cardinals in the seesaw battle, Clear Lake's players became a bit flustered, according to Psalmonds.
"I just told them to take a deep breath, settle down and go out and play," she said.
Kaylah Billig finished with 10 kills and two blocks for the Cardinals while Lindee Bingham added six kills. Two other standouts were Emily Gersalia with 12 assists, 10 service points and two aces, and Evelyn Ceja with 12 points and six aces.
Ceja's serving in the third set helped lift the Cardinals to the match win, according to Psalmonds. She served for six points, including match point with a hard serve that just missed being an ace.
Clear Lake's Stella Hill blasts a shot over the net as a pair of St. Helena defenders try for the block.
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