Cd'A edges Bulldogs to claim volleyball win

COEUR d'ALENE - Sandpoint battled back to force a fifth game, but a slow start in the deciding game gave the Coeur d'Alene Vikings the opening they needed.

The Vikings, looking to contend for a 5A state title, went on to beat the Bulldogs, last year's state 4A runner-up 26-24, 25-21, 15-25, 21-25, 15-11 in an Inland Empire League volleyball match Tuesday night.

"It may sound dumb; they deserved two games, we earned the other two, and they earned the fifth," Sandpoint coach Karen Alsager said. "It took us too long to get going in that fifth game. Whoever grabbed the momentum in that fifth game was going to have it, and Coeur d'Alene grabbed it."

Junior Piper Wahlin led Sandpoint (2-1, 1-1 IEL) with 18 kills, three aces and two blocks. Junior Kaiti Lunde added 11 kills, junior Christina Johnson 10. Senior Abby Helander had 25 digs, junior Koko James 21 assists, senior Linnia Hawkins 16 assists.

"We served pretty hard, and they handled it well," Alsager said of Coeur d'Alene. "They dug well, and shut down some of our hitters at key moments. I have a lot of respect for them. But I'm glad we get to play them, because we need that."

Seniors Hanna Johnson and Kama Griffitts had 15 kills each for Coeur d'Alene (5-0, 2-0). Senior Natalie Stewart broke her own school record with 44 assists, senior Shelby Robb had 23 digs, Shae Carson three blocks.

In the deciding game, Coeur d'Alene jumped out to leads of 4-0, 6-1 and 8-2, and Sandpoint could come no closer than three points.

"I'm concerned about our blocking, and I'll be concerned about it all season long," Alsager said. "We don't have tall players, and we're just going to have to learn how to defend better than we are. … We can't grow, but we can read better and we can defend better behind (the block)."

Sandpoint travels to Moscow on Thursday.