Laker volleyball starts strong

North Tahoe’s volleyball team is off to a solid start.

After a second-place finish at the Hug Tournament this past weekend and a victory over Silver Stage in the league opener, North Tahoe is sitting on an early season record of 6-1.

The Lakers won their first five matches of the Hug Tournament, falling to Incline in the final for a runner-up finish.

North Tahoe beat Spanish Springs in two games in the tourney opener, winning the first game 25-14 and the second 25-21.

In the single-day, best-of-three formatted tournament, North Tahoe then bested Hug, 25-19, 25-17.

The Lakers went on to defeat Plumas Christian, 25-13, 25-19, and Sparks, 25-17, 25-10.

Spanish Springs, a 4A program, was the only team North Tahoe, a first-year member of the Northern 2A, faced twice in the tourney; during the second match the Lakers took the first game 25-13 and the second 25-21.

In North Tahoe’s only loss of the tournament, the Highlanders won in consecutive games, 25-12, 26-24.

“As a team, they played great together,” Lakers assistant coach Lisa Hansen said.

Seniors Shirley Murray and Laura Hansen both were named to the All-Tournament team.

Murray tallied 17 kills in the tournament and had three blocks, two assists and one ace. Laura Hansen put down 26 kills in the tournament, 17 blocks, one assist and five aces.

Junior Kelly Hester put up a staggering 79 assists in the six games.

North Tahoe defeated host Silver Stage in its first league match Tuesday.

The Lakers had little trouble with the Nighthawks, winning in three games, 25-12, 25-11, 25-20.

Laura Hansen again was the offensive powerhouse with 10 kills, one ace and two assists, in addition to one block.

Hester put up 23 assists on the night as well as one ace and two kills.

Junior Sydney Courcier threw down six kills on the evening and Arielle Younger had the big individual defensive numbers with two blocks.

North Tahoe hosts Lovelock on Tuesday at 4:30 p.m. and Sparks on Thursday at 5 p.m.