Sandpoint volleyball drops 4th straight match to start season

COEUR d'ALENE — Lake City dominated Sandpoint volleyball Tuesday night to hand the Bulldogs their fourth straight loss to start the season.

The Timberwolves swept Sandpoint 25-13, 25-10, 25-11.

"By far the best team we've played so far this year," head coach Karen Alsager said. "Lake City has a lot of firepower and we struggled putting up something to get in the way of that firepower ... they have it all."

Alsager said the Bulldogs struggled finding ways to score and they need to be smarter on the court.

"Our hitting percentages are atrocious," she said. "They just are."

Gabby Hicks had seven kills and four kills. Kinzie Ward tallied five digs, CeCe Deprez and Lauren Breuner each had six set assists and Katie Stewart and Bella Phillips both notched two blocks.

Hanah Stoddard led the Timberwolves with 14 kills, six assists and five aces.

Alsager said her team can't be intimidated when they play a team of Lake City's caliber. They have to embrace that underdog mentality and play without fear, she said.

"I think we need to understand that when we play a team like that, that we need to take the pressure off of ourselves," she said. "We know we're playing a good team, let that go, the pressure isn't on us, the pressure is on them."

Alsager said the Timberwolves have a complete team and are hard to prepare for.

"I don't have the kids in practice to hit against my starting lineup that hit like that so it's hard to practice digging hard balls," she said.

The Bulldogs (0-4, 0-2 Inland Empire League) host Coeur d'Alene 7 p.m. Thursday at Les Rogers Court.

"We just got to get better," Alsager said.