PORT ANGELES — Port Angeles rallied back after dropping the first set of Thursday’s home volleyball match with Kingston, earning two straight set victories in overtime and finally finishing off the Buccaneers 23-25, 26-24, 27-25, 25-23 in one of the closest matches of the season.
“After the first loss in game one, the girls rallied together,” Roughriders coach Jennifer Reynolds said. “We increased communication, got scrappy on defense and executed our offense. When Kingston ran up the score, we focused on winning the little games. We adapted to their offense and made the defensive adjustments necessary to take the win.”
Jasmine Messinger led Port Angeles at the net with 12 kills offensively. Ava Hairell put down nine kills and served for five aces while Lily Halberg chipped in with seven kills, four aces on 17 of 19 serving, 12 digs and a block.
Alexis Perry also was effective with seven kills and 10 digs and setter Josephine Edgington had 30 assists, 14 digs and a block.
Cindy Liang was a digging machine with 35 on the night as well as two aces.
The win broke up a logjam in the Olympic League standings and moved the Riders (6-2-0, 6-3-0) into second place with a game against third-place Sequim (6-2-0, 6-3-0) on the road Tuesday. Port Angeles beat Sequim in the rival’s first Rainshadow Rumble matchup on Sept. 15.
Sequim 3, North Mason 1
SEQUIM — The Wolves struggled on serves to keep the Bulldogs around before pulling out the win 25-22, 25-14, 22-25, 25-21.
“We missed 16 serves and went from serving really well [recently] to not keeping it on the court and NM was hitting their serves and playing some good defense,” coach Jennie Weber Heilman said.
Kendall Hastings led Sequim at the net with 13 , eight perfect passes, six stuff blocks and three aces.
Jolene Vaara added seven kills, 11 assists and five digs and Angel Wagner added four kills.
Ariana Stovall added three kills and two blocks while Sydney Clark put up four aces, two kills and 10 assists.
Sequim (5-3-0) will face Ridgefield, Timberline and Capital at the Capital City Invite today.
Girls Soccer
Sequim 11, North Mason 1
SEQUIM — Led by Taryn Johnson’s second five-goal game of the season the Wolves took control of a tied game before halftime and poured it on after the break in an Olympic League win over the Bulldogs.
Johnson notched goals in the fifth minute and broke a 1-1 tie with a 23rd minute goal off an Ivy Barrett cross.
Outside back Alex Salas also was rewarded in the 25th minute after a long run up the left side to put Sequim up 3-1 at halftime.
“Alex Salas sent in a big looping shot above the goalie into the net, ” coach Ken Garling said.
Raimey Brewer (assisted by Libby Turella) and Jenny Gomez (Johnson) added to the Wolves’ advantage in the 46th and 49th minutes.
Johnson also found the net three times in six minutes after the break, scoring in the 56th, 57th (Laila Sundin) and the 62nd (Kiley Winters).
Brewer added her second goal in the 66th, Kaia Lestage sent in a high, arching shot from about 30 yards in the 74th and Ivy Barrett (Eve Breithaupt) closed out the rout with a 79th minute score.
“We really stuck to our game plan and did what we do best, move the ball and wore them down,” Garling said.
“After halftime we were off and running and put up some good quality shots and scored eight goals. The reward of wearing down a team, they started chasing, so we started cycling and we put crosses in and it translated to goals.”
Garling also substituted starters and moved players to different positions with the game well out of reach.
Fourth-place Sequim (5-3-0) visits third-place Port Angeles (5-2-0) on Tuesday at 6:45 p.m. in Sequim.
The Riders earned a 1-0 win on Sept. 15 in the first Rainshadow Rumble girls soccer game of the season.
East Jefferson 5, Annie Wright 2
PORT TOWNSEND — Braces by Iris Mattern in the first half and Ava Shiflett after the break boosted the Rivals to an important Nisqually League win at Memorial Field on Thursday.
East Jefferson led 3-0 at halftime.
“That first half was one of our best 40 minutes of play we have had so far, a pretty good domination of play and possession through our passing,” coach Robert Cantley said.
Shiflett found Mattern for the Rivals’ first score.
“About 19 minutes in, a good counterattack from our defense up the right side and Ava Shiflett found Iris Mattern on the left side with acres of space and she went one-on-one with the goalie and scored,” Cantley said.
Mattern scored again 10 minutes later after a Leah Harrison attack through the middle.
“Leah Harrison had lots of time to move the ball and she split their defense and found Iris,” Cantley said. “The goalkeeper came out at the same time that Iris broke through and Iris was able to get the ball into the net. A little bit of luck, there.”
Kaylen Pray added the third Rivals score in the 38th, grabbing a loose ball in midfield and knocking in a shot from 20 yards out.
Annie Wright answered with two goals in the 50th and 58th minutes, but Shiflett converted penalty kick attempts in the 56th and 63rd minutes to keep the Gators at bay.
“Our two wing backs Kay Botkin and Shelby Thibeault were effective in providing defense and allowing us to get good width,” Cantley said.
“Our goalkeeper Emme Pirwitz was aggressive on balls into the box which was good to see.”
East Jefferson (5-2-2) visits Vashon on Tuesday.
Kingston at Port Angeles, ppd.
PORT ANGELES — The Buccaneers were forced to postpone Thursday night’s contest against the Roughriders. The game has been rescheduled for 6:45 p.m. Wednesday at Wally Sigmar Field at Peninsula College.
Boys Tennis
North Kitsap 5, Port Angeles 2
POULSBO — The third road match in as many days, and second in a row against top-flight Olympic League competition, did in the Riders in a loss to the Vikings.
“I thought our guys came out and played to win, North was just too tough today,” said coach Brian Gundersen.
The Riders #1 singles player, Reef Gelder, had a great day as he beat the #1 player from North Kitsap, 6-0, 6-1. The #3 doubles team of Luke Flodstrom and Tate Alton won another 3 set match, dropping the first set 1-6, before storming back to win 6-1, 6-4.
Port Angeles (9-1) travels to Kingston on Tuesday.
North Kitsap 5, Port Angeles 2
Match Report
Singles
No. 1 — Reef Gelder (PA) def. Indigo Gallagher-Zarf, 6-0, 6-1.
No. 2 — Dayshawn Harper def. Nathan Basden (PA), 7-6, 6-2.
No. 3 — Kaden Lancaster def. Reid Schmidt (PA), 6-3, 6-1.
Doubles
No. 1 — Ethan Gillespie-Mason Chmielewski def. Edun Bailey-Jacob Miller, 6-3, 6-1.
No. 2 — Spencer Gillespie-Justin Gallant def. Zak Alton-Elijah Flodstrom (PA), 6-4, 6-4.
No. 3 — Luke Flodstrom-Tate Alton (PA) def. Trevor Dill-Mason Repp, 1-6, 6-1, 6-4.
No. 4 — Aiden Reister-Dave Rutschow def. Kellen Garcelon-Isaac Shamp (PA), 7-6, 6-2.
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Sports reporter Michael Carman can be contacted at mcarman@ peninsuladailynews.com.
KEITH THORPE/PENINSULA DAILY NEWS Port Angeles Alexis Perry keeps the ball in play against Kingston on Thursday night in Port Angeles.
KEITH THORPE/PENINSULA DAILY NEWS Port Angeles’ Lily Halberg, right, goes for the bump as teammate Jayde Wold keeps watch during Tuesday’s match against Kingston at Port Angeles High School.
