It’s never a good time to suffer a first loss of the season, but at this time of year it stings a bit more.

The Hoquiam Grizzlies lost a chance for a district title and a state-championship berth with a straight-set loss to Castle Rock on Wednesday in Montesano, the Grizzlies’ first loss of the season.

Hoquiam (16-1) defeated Stevenson 3-0 in the first round of the 1A District 4 Tournament in Montesano, advancing to the district-semifinal round against Castle Rock, which defeated Elma 3-0 in its first-round game.

With a spot in the district-championship game and berth in the state tournament on the line, No. 9 Hoquiam struggled to find consistency against a talented Rockets team.

The two teams went back-and-forth in the first set, tying each other 10 times by the time the score was 13-13.

Fourth-ranked Castle Rock scored five-straight points to take an 18-13 lead and led 21-15 on a block by senior middle blocker Paige Kessler.

Hoquiam responded with five-straight points on the back of a service streak by senior setter Ella Folkers, pulling to within a point at 21-20 when a Rockets shot went into the net.

RYAN SPARKS | THE DAILY WORLD Hoquiam senior Ella Folkers readies a serve during the Grizzlies’ straight-set loss in a 1A District 4 Tournament semifinal game on Wednesday in Montesano.

An Ashlinn Cady kill a few points later brought Hoquiam again to within a point at 23-22.

But a kill by Rockets setter Samantha Farland put Castle Rock at set point.

On the ensuing play, a miscommunication error caused a reception to fall between two Hoquiam players, giving Castle Rock a 25-23 first-set victory.

Seemingly deflated by the first-set loss, Hoquiam struggled early in the second set.

The Grizzlies fell behind 8-0 as Kessler took over, recording three kills during the streak, which was bolstered by three Hoquiam errors.

Down 11-3 after another Kessler kill, Hoquiam responded with a point-streak of its own. Kills by Kristina Goulet and Faith Prosch combined with a few Castle Rock errors got the Grizzlies back in the game at 11-8, forcing a Rockets timeout.

Hoquiam continued to rally, erasing what was once an eight-point deficit to tie the game at 12-12 on an illegal touch by Castle Rock.

But Hoquiam would never take the lead in the second set as the Rockets had an answer for every Grizzlies rally. A block by the Rockets Kynsi Bayes followed by two kills from Farland put the Rockets up 16-12, forcing a Hoquiam head coach Heather Bozich to call timeout.

But it wouldn’t stop the bleeding as the Rockets run continued, going up 20-12 on a Grizzly hitting error and closing out the set at 25-17 on a Kessler kill.

RYAN SPARKS | THE DAILY WORLD Hoquiam’s Jessie Dayton (14) and Chloe Kennedy (5) defend a shot by Castle Rock’s Paige Kessler during the Grizzlies’ straight-set loss in a 1A District 4 Tournament semifinal game on Wednesday in Montesano.

The third set started out much as the second for the Grizzlies, trailing 6-1 early on.

But the pattern of the second set repeated itself in the third as Hoquiam rallied behind the service of Folkers, tying the set at 10-all on a Goulet kill.

Another theme repeated in the third set was the Grizzlies inability to sustain any momentum once the game got close as — with the two teams tied at 12-12 — Castle Rock scored the next 11 points to go up 20-12.

A late Hoquiam rally wasn’t enough as the Grizzlies lost the third set 25-17, and the match 3-0.

“(Castle Rock) never quit,” Bozich said of how the Rockets mastered the riddle Hoquiam’s previous opponents this season were unable to solve. “You can’t look at a team like that and think it’s going to be east at all. They work hard and are very disciplined. They serve well and they hit their spots … It really affected our passing tonight and that is where we’ve thrived throughout the season. They took us out of our game.”

The Grizzlies played catch-up most of the game, leading for only four points in the contest.

Hoquiam was led by Graci Bonney-Spradlin (18 digs), Chloe Kennedy (14 digs, 5 solo blocks), Carron Blood (14 digs), Cady (16 digs), Prosch (6 kills) and Folkers (16-16 service, 20 assists).

With the loss, Hoquiam’s chances at a title in the uber-competitive 1A District 4 fall by the wayside.

The Grizzlies have a chance to reach the state tournament through the elimination bracket and will face King’s Way Christian in an elimination game at 11:30 a.m. Saturday at King’s Way Christian High School.

If the Grizzlies advance they’ll face the winner of Stevenson-Montesano at 1 p.m. Saturday in the consolation final, with a trip to the state tournament on the line.

“We just need to see how they’re going to respond,” Bozich said of her team. “Are they going to let it get to them or are they going to use this as a fire? They’ve got to use it to fuel a fire. I’m hoping that it’s the latter.”

Castle Rock 25 25 25 — 3

Hoquiam 23 17 19 — 0

Other scores

First Round

Castle Rock 3, Elma 0

Montesano 3, King’s Way Christian 2

La Center 3, Tenino 0

Hoquiam 3, Stevenson 0

Semifinals

La Center 3, Montesano 0

Elimination Round

Stevenson 3, Elma 0 (Elma eliminated)

King’s Way Christian 3, Tenino 0 (Tenino eliminated)