Clavelle and Co. roll

It didn't take telepathy or a parent's intuition to know Marissa Clavelle was frustrated. Her teenage scowl said it all.

The once bounding and grinning 5-foot-7, curly haired junior was playing heated. All this, and her team was finally winning a game. It just wasn't by enough, not against her biggest rival.

So she went out and had one of her best games of the season. Clavelle finished with 10 timely kills and the Marysville High volleyball team kicked a four-game league skid with a 25-10, 25-20, 25-18 victory over Lindhurst on Wednesday.

"I wanted us to be up by more, it was way too close," she said. "Especially when we're playing against Lindhurst — I never want it to be close."

Clavelle added two blocks, two aces and two digs, all of which pleased coach Brian Coleman. The first year coach frequently broke his sentry-like, crossed-armed stance to applaud and fist-pump the effort.

"She's our clutch," he said. "When we need a point we set (to Clavelle) and she finishes it."

It's what she did in the first game romp and in the second game, which was tied 20-20 before the Indians' rally. In the third, the teams traded the lead but Clavelle helped it end with Marysville flourishing.

Not that she was alone, though. Cameo Stevens had 13 digs, 4 aces and four kills and Jocelyn Talosig finished with 17 digs. Dominique Leatherman added seven digs, six assists, two kills and two aces to help end a Golden Empire League drought that's lasted since the last time these two team's met. Marysville (6-12, 2-6) topped Lindhurst in five games on Sept. 20, and have lost seven of its last eight heading into this second meeting at Lesta Joubert Gym.

"It wasn't like the game we had last time," Coleman said. "We got it and took care of business."

On the other side of the court from Clavelle, Brenna Gates' frown was just as transparent. But her facial expression wasn't enough to completely define her mood. The taped left leg, crutches and street clothes told her story. The Blazers' best player, a 6-foot-4 senior good for 10-plus kills and four to six blocks a match, sprained her ankle in PE class.

"It's frustrating," she said.

That's just the way things have progressed for the Blazers, who are still looking for their first win of 2010. Coach Patty Gates is sure it will happen, once these girls start to believe they have the ability to finish.

"I know they can," she said.

One of those chances will be 18 days away, when these two teams wrap-up their season series.

The Indians' JV team won 25-16, 25-10. Marimar Terriquez had 10 aces and Kallie Cano had three aces. The freshman team lost to Golden Sierra 25-19, 22-25, 11-15, with Taylor Ferrari leading the team with seven aces, five digs, two assists and two kills.