The Carson High volleyball team is finally virtually at full strength with the return of Alex McAlman and her return was quite welcome in a key Sierra League win at Damonte Ranch on Tuesday.
Carson swept 26-24, 25-22 and 25-18. McAlman, who was playing in her first match after dealing with a bout of chicken pox, teamed with Catherine Brekken, Nicole Scott, Lindsay Ford and Sandie Howard to contain Damonte's two star players in Lauren Kelly and Colleen Doyle, who transferred from Douglas.
"They had two awesome players," said Carson coach Shana Wilkins about Kelly and Doyle. "We pretty much ate them up. We blocked so well.
"They were getting frustrated. It was great to have Alex back. She played very well. She blocked very well."
Brekken led the way with 11 blocks and five kills, McAlman had eight blocks and two digs, Ford had 25 assists and three blocks, Scott had five kills and four blocks and Howard added three blocks. Also for Carson (8-6, 2-1), Michelle Raponi had 20 digs and Courtney Katafias had five kills, three aces and 12 digs.
Wilkins also said that there's a slight chance that Sandra McAlman, who is out with a knee injury, could be cleared for Carson's final regular season match against Reno High and the Northern 4A playoffs.
DAYTON 3, INCLINE 0
Michelle Bowman set up the attack with 18 assists to lead the Dayton volleyball team (2-2 in the Northern 3A) to a 25-16, 25-18, 25-18 sweep of Incline.
Bowman also had three blocks, Caty Cross had four aces and three digs, Melony Cox had two aces, three digs and three kills, Gina Henderson had three blocks and three kills, Kasey Armstrong had two blocks and four kills, Diana Rutt had six kills, Sara Simmons had 5 kills and three digs, Kristin Wetzel had eight digs and Stephanie Greer had two kills. Dayton won the junior varsity match 25-9, 25-10.
GALENA 3, SPANISH SPRINGS 0
Lydia Mailander had 11 kills for the Galena volleyball team (20-8), which swept to a 25-15, 25-7, 25-11 win.
Also for Galena, Julia Mailander had four kills, Nancy Burrows had six kills, eight blocks, four digs and three aces, Thalia McCann had 23 assists, four blocks and six digs, Johanna Dible had four aces, Alexa Garol had four digs and Casey Burke added three blocks.
Galena won the junior varsity match 25-16, 25-11 and the freshmen match 19-25, 25-23, 15-8.
