Bulldogs serve way past Central Valley

SANDPOINT - Although far from their "A" game, Sandpoint served well enough to dispatch Greater Spokane League's Central Valley 25-19, 25-22, 23-25 and 25-11 Monday night in non-league volleyball action at Les Rogers Court.

Piper Wahlin, Koko James, Abby Helander, Christina Johnson and Kaite Lunde were each working on jump serves, with excellent results. The heavy top spin and extra miles per hour generated from the serves led to many aces, and even more weak returns.

"It's nice to see them in a rhythm this early on in the season," said Bulldogs coach Karen Alsager. "Overall it wasn't great volleyball, but we learned some things. I like playing Central Valley because they're out of conference and good, challenging us in different ways than in our conference."

Wahlin had 11 kills to lead Sandpoint (2-0), and she and Johnson each tallied three aces while putting together several lengthy service runs. Helander had 24 digs, James added 15 assists and Lunde chipped in with six kills, many at clutch points in a match closer than the Bulldogs expected.

"Lunde's came at big moments, when we really needed them," said Alsager.

Senior Linnia Hawkins added 14 set assists, showing no ill effect from a broken finger that sidelined her for four weeks.

Monday's win starts a busy week for the Bulldogs, who travel to Coeur d'Alene tonight in a big early season IEL battle against the Vikings. They then travel to Moscow on Thursday, before heading to Walla Walla for a tournament Friday and Saturday that was supposed to happen last weekend before being postponed a week.