Vikings outlast Lake City

The final point of Thursday’s thrilling five-game Inland Empire League volleyball match between Lake City and Coeur d’Alene hung on the top of the net and fell back onto Lake City’s side.

Like the match itself, it could have gone either way.

After enduring a solid beating in the first game, Coeur d’Alene (10-10 overall, 6-4 IEL) battled back and toppled the visiting Timberwolves 16-25, 25-22, 25-19, 18-25, 15-11.

When Vikings coach Carly Curtis finally came up for air after the match, she rejoiced in the highs and lamented the lows.

“You know, I watch our matches and we definitely have the potential – there are those times that we do great,” Curtis said. “And then there are those times that I think, ‘What are we doing?’

“It’s just a matter of getting consistent with that and getting that fire for a whole match.”

Curtis said she hopes the outcome will serve as a springboard for her team the rest of the way.

“I thought the girls fought hard and did some things that showed a lot of character,” Curtis said. “They were digging balls that they weren’t getting earlier in the season.

“They want it now, and that’s what we need at the end of the season.”

LC standout Renee Bordelon was dominant in the first game, knocking down four of her team-high 10 kills. CdA committed seven hitting errors and three service errors and looked almost lost.

In the second game, though, the Vikings came out hot and took a 19-16 lead after three Lauren Hale aces and a big block from senior Rachel Moore. LC got as close as one at 22-21, but a rotation violation, a hitting error and a service error knotted the match at 1.

The middle game started out with a 7-0 LC run followed promptly by a 7-0 CdA run. The game was tied at 12, but LC never got closer than three the rest late in the game, thanks in large part to a pair of huge Moore blocks down the stretch.

The T-Wolves got it together in the fourth game and led by as much as 18-7. The Vikings got as close as 21-17, but a big hit by Bordelon and a soft touch by junior Caitlin Crimp helped put it away for LC.

The fifth and deciding game was tied at 3 before CdA went on a 6-0 run that included a pair of Moore kills. LC fought back to within 13-10, but never got any closer and the Vikings celebration was on.

Moore, who had a team-high nine kills and eight blocks, called the net “her favorite spot” and described the feeling of knocking off the second-place Timberwolves (15-7, 7-3).

“It was a really nice thing to beat them (in league) finally, after we haven’t beaten them for a long time,” Moore said. “I’m just really happy, and our team worked really well together tonight.”

“Probably the most disappointing thing is that I feel like we matched up with them far better than any opponents that we see,” said LC coach Jen Owen said. “Unfortunately, we create opportunities and have trouble capitalizing on them.

“I wish I could explain it, because I’d be a lot happier.”

Owen also managed to find a silver lining.

“We started out positive, and we ended up positive,” Owen said.