PORT ANGELES — The Port Angeles volleyball team remained in a tie for first place in the Olympic League with a four-set win over Klahowya.
“[The] match was full of energy, noise, strategy and big comebacks,” Port Angeles coach Christine Halberg said of Thursday’s match.
In the opening set, the Riders were behind 20-15 until Holli Williams served seven straight points to put Port Angeles ahead 23-20.
The Riders quickly got the ball back on a kill by Maddy Hinrichs, who finished serving the next two points, giving Port Angeles a 25-23 set win on kills by Genna Orr and Brittany Nordberg.
The second game had a similar narrative.
With the Riders trailed 21-16, Emily Johnson subbed in to serve for three points, one of which was an ace, cutting the Eagles’ lead to 23-19.
Williams then came back to serve five in a row the next rotation to end the match 25-23, putting Port Angeles up two sets and on the brink of victory.
Game three was also full of comebacks.
Klahowya led 20-15 before Williams served six in a row to give the Riders a 21-20 lead.
“In those six points, Holli served very tough, which took them out of their offense and set us up for kills by Sarah Steinman and [Hinrichs],” Halberg said.
The Eagles, however, came back to win the set 25-23 on the strength of kills by their middles.
Port Angeles put Klahowya away with a dominating 25-19 fourth-set win.
“Game 4 was a welcome change,” Halberg said.
“I changed our starting rotation with Holli starting us off since she was on a consistent streak and Klahowya was struggling with her serves.”
Williams started the set off with nine straight points to put the Riders ahead 9-0.
Two rotations later, Kendra Harvey added two aces to make it 15-3.
The Eagles did mount a comeback, cutting Port Angeles’ lead to 24-19, but Nordberg ended the match with three straight kills.
Williams served 27/34 for 33 points and 11 aces. She also had 33 assists, 22 digs and two blocks.
Harvey had 21 digs and four assists to go along with 15 of 16 serving for 11 points and two aces.
Bailee Jones led the Riders with 12 kills. Nordberg added 10 kills and three blocks, and served 11/12 with five points and an ace.
Steinman was a perfect 9 for 9 serving and had five kills and 15 digs, while Hinrichs contributed 13 digs and seven kills and served 7/8.
“This was a huge match for us in a lot of ways,” Halberg said.
“First, the girls were ready for some tough competition since our last couple matches were slower paced and less energy. They were chomping at the bit to get down and dirty.”
The Riders also avenged a hard-fought five-set loss to the Eagles earlier in the season.
“In that match we had huge runs of unforced errors,” Halberg said.
“The difference [this time] was staying in control, being healthy and bringing a lot of energy to the court.
“I am very proud of the girls for persevering, even when they were down by five points late in the game. They never gave up and pushed each other to stay positive.
“They started out focused [in the] pregame and never lost sight of their goal.”
The win also sets up a huge matchup next week between the Olympic League’s two currently undefeated teams when Port Angeles (5-0, 7-3) hosts North Kitsap this Thursday.
If the Riders beat North Mason (1-4, 2-10) on Tuesday and the Viking handle Bremerton (1-4, 1-10), Thursday’s match could determine the league championship. (Although one-loss Sequim could complicate things with a win over Port Angeles on Monday, Oct. 28.)
“We’re hoping for a big crowd to come and support the girls,” Halberg said of Thursday’s match against North Kitsap, which also is the Riders’ senior night.
Klahowya won the JV match over Port Angeles 23-25, 14-25, 25-14.
North Kitsap 3, Port Townsend 0
PORT TOWNSEND — The Vikings kept pace with Port Angeles with a decisive three-set victory over the Redskins on Thursday night 25-9, 25-9, 25-11.
Megan Lee led Port Townsend with 15 digs, while Baili Shaw added six and Megan Juran and Trish Reeves added four apiece.
Amy Hemsley had a team-high six assists and Rio Golden led the Redskins with four kills.
Port Townsend (1-5, 2-9) hosts Sequim (4-1, 7-4) on Tuesday.
North Mason 3, Port Townsend 2
BELFAIR — The Redskins fell to the Bulldogs in five sets on Tuesday night 23-25, 25-12, 21-25, 27-25, 15-11.
Port Townsend took a 2-1 lead after three sets and then took North Mason to extra points in the fourth set.
Megan Lee and Megan Juran led the Redskins with 25 and 22 digs, respectively.
Avery Salisch had team-highs with seven kills and five aces. She also contributed 11 digs. Amy Hemsley finished with 13 assists, 10 digs and three kills.
