RENO — An improved Hug squad gave the Spanish Springs Cougars all they could handle and more before succumbing in four games in a High Desert League prep volleyball

match. Hug won the first game on its home floor but that’s as good as it got for the Hawks, a perennial northern 4A doormat. In the end, Spanish Springs captured a 23-25, 25-23, 28-26, 25-18 triumph.

Spanish Springs improved to 6-7 overall and 1-1 in conference clashes.

“I went and watched Hug play North Valleys Tuesday night and I was impressed with how athletic they are,” Spanish Springs coach Frank Sandomenico said. “Our girls were definitely ready. They knew they would face an athletic and tall team. We knew we’d have to battle.

“We started out slow and got a little bit better as it went on. We didn’t do anything spectacular, but after looking at the stats we played better than I first gave us credit for.”

Game 3 proved to be the pivotal contest. Spanish Springs led 16-12 midway through the game, but Hug did not go away. The Hawks put together a 10-5 run and grabbed a 22-21 advantage. Hug even led 26-25, but could not put their guests away. The Cougars got a kill from Emily Meister and an ace from Lyndsey Anderson before Hug hit a ball long, giving the SSHS spikers the final three points of the game.

The back-and-forth loss put the Hawks on their heels. Spanish Springs jumped out to an 8-2 edge early in the fourth game. However, Hug still had some fight left. A 9-3 Hawks outburst pulled them into an 11-11 deadlock.

The two traded points over the next few minutes and that saw Spanish Springs go on top 19-17. The wheels fell off the Hug wagon from there. The Cougars scored six of the final seven points of the game and were not threatened again.

Hug did get off to a good start by winning Game 1. The Cougars looked sluggish early in the opening affair. Hug built an 11-5 lead from the opening whistle. Back-to-back aces by Chakayla Carthen capped the run and forced Sandomenico to call a timeout.

Spanish Springs responded from there. The Cougars fought all the way back to take a 23-22 lead after a Bryli Friberg ace. Spanish Springs could not keep the momentum. Hug’s Ieesha Greer put down a kill and then the Cougars a hit a pair of balls long and wide to give Hug the Game 1 victory.

“Spanish Springs has very good skills. They played a very good technical game,” Hug coach Janet Simon said. “I’m just really proud of our kids. That’s the closest we’ve played them in the last four years. I think our girls are gelling and the second time around against these guys I think will be another tight game.”

Game 2 was close the whole way. Neither team led by more than four. Spanish Springs grabbed a quick 5-1 edge, but Hug turned the tide and eventually went ahead 14-10. The league foes wound up knotted at 23-23 but Spanish Springs took the game after Meister pounded consecutive kills.

Meister had eight kills and four aces in the SSHS win. Callie Aberle turned in a stellar performance for the Cougars, ripping a match-high 13 kills while serving up five aces. Anderson contributed to the win as well. She gave away 26 assists while adding four aces, six digs and four kills. Melli Munley chipped in 11 digs and 10 kills for Spanish Springs.

The Cougars will compete today and Saturday in the Yerington tournament.