Cd'A takes win over Bulldogs in four sets

SANDPOINT — Playing with a little less energy — and a little less confidence — ended with the Bulldogs falling to Coeur d'Alene in four sets — 20-25, 25-21, 19-25, 25-27 — in nonleague play at home on Les Rogers Court.

"The energy felt a little forced tonight," Sandpoint head coach Karen Alsager said. "Had we played the way we did on Tuesday night, it would have been a totally different outcome."

The teams traded points — and the lead — throughout the first game before the Vikings started to pull away. The Bulldogs clawed their way back but a focused Coeur d'Alene team was able to power the ball past a diving Bulldog to take the game.

The second game again saw the teams trade the lead before the Bulldogs fed off a raucous crowd and, with a shot down the middle, take second game to tie the match.

However, the Vikings were able to power past the Bulldogs with a disciplined attack in the third game despite a gritty effort by Sandpoint to stay close.

The fourth game saw furious rallies by both teams with diving to the floor to dig out the ball to keep the rally going. When a power blast by the Bulldogs led to the fourth game being tied at 25, the crowd and the bench surged to their feet. However, the Vikings didn't falter and shut down the Bulldogs' drive to take the game to a fifth set.

With the loss, the Bulldogs fell to 0-3 for the season.

"This is a program where we're struggling with a part of learning how to win games," Alsager said. We've had some rough back-to-back seasons do even the girls said in the locker room that we need to find the confidence that we can play with these 5A teams because in the past, we haven't been able to compete with them. Now we're taking games off and putting ourselves in situations where we could win matches, we have to find the confidence."

For the Bulldogs, senior Amaya Russel had 20 digs to lead Sandpoint. Junior Vivian Platte had 11 kills for the Bulldogs, followed by senior Hailey Roeder and junior Aubree Lane each with nine kills. Setter Haley Swaim had 31 set assists and Platte lead Sandpoint with three blocks.

For the Vikings, junior Bailey Jaworski had 19 assists, 13 digs and three aces as the visiting Vikings beat the Bulldogs 25-20, 21-25, 25-19, 27-25 in nonleague play at Les Rogers Court.

“She played well tonight,” Coeur d’Alene coach Carly Curtis said. “They were really trying to pick on our setter in the right back. She had to dig in and play some defense. She ran the court well.”

Madi Symons had 18 kills and five digs for Coeur d’Alene (8-0). Paisley Goings added eight kills, three aces and a block, Gia Janke had eight kills, Angela Maiani 12 assists, Alexa Stavros five digs.

“There were some good rallies; we had to battle,” Curtis said.

Alsager said she's proud of her team for playing hard and said the young Bulldog team walked away from the game realizing that they aren't afraid of anyone and can compete in every game.

The Bulldogs return to action Thursday at home vs. Lakeland.