Bulldogs prevail in five set league battle with Hawks

SANDPOINT — Three players hit double figures in kills, and Sandpoint needed a fifth set to down Lakeland 25-14, 20-25, 24-26, 25-12 and 15-10 in a 4A Inland Empire League volleyball opener Thursday night at Les Rogers Court. 

Kayla Neumann posted 12 kills and 12 digs, Grace Kirscher 10 kills and four blocks, and Laney Search 10 kills, 21 assists, 12 digs and four aces to lead the Bulldogs (9-8, 1-0 4A IEL).

Kaitlan Ward added 12 digs and Cheyenne Nicholson served four aces in a row during one strong run, as the Bulldogs continue to find themselves in five set battles, this time closing the deal.

“We’ve been talking about walking out with confidence and attitude, knowing they’re going to win it,” said Bulldogs head coach Erin Roos. “They’ve had so many games where they’ve created a deficit and fought back and won. They had the confidence that they could do it. “

Sierra Mayberry stuffed the stat sheet with five kills, seven blocks, nine digs and two aces to lead the Hawks, and Brooklynn Bunch atted 12 set assists and three aces in defeat. The fifth set was tight at 10-10, before the Bulldogs closed things out with a run.

“The last four or five points of the fifth set we play safe, when we should have played hard,” lamented Hawks head coach Kylee Garitone. “All in all they played well. We struggled with passing in the fifth set.”

Sandpoint hosts Lewiston at 2 p.m. on Saturday.