An intriguing non-league matchup between two Twin Harbors powers highlighted Wednesday’s prep volleyball action.

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PREP VOLLEYBALL

Montesano 3, Aberdeen 1

Montesano bounced back from a tough loss to beat Aberdeen 3-1 on Wednesday at Montesano High School.

Coming off a straight-set home loss to 2B-power Adna on Monday, the Bulldogs came into Wednesday’s game with a fresh perspective.

“The mindset (coming into Wednesday’s game) was to get it out of our minds,” Monte head coach Cindy Wecker said. “That was a rough night and it ate at all of us. … It was really weighing on us because we expected to perform much better than we did. So we had a meeting about it and I said, ‘OK, it’s done. It’s over and we’ve got to move on.’”

Monte moved on by handing Aberdeen a 25-15, 17-25, 25-16 and 25-14 non-league loss.

The Bulldogs (2-1 overall) trailed 12-11 in the first set after an ace by Aberdeen sophomore libero Sophie Knutson but outscored the Bobcats 14-4 down the stretch, highlighted by a nine-point service streak from junior Grace Gooding.

RYAN SPARKS | THE DAILY WORLD Montesano junior Grace Gooding prepares to serve during a 3-1 win over Aberdeen on Wednesday in Montesano.

Playing in its season-opener, Aberdeen (0-1) found its game in the second set, led by hitting of senior middle hitter Lilly Camp and juniors Ashlyn Richie and Hadley Lowery, the Bobcats held as much as an eight-point lead on six separate occasions late in a 25-17 second-set victory.

“I think they finally started getting touches and blocking us and we weren’t covering well,” Montesano senior setter Karissa Otterstetter said of the Cats’ second-set win. “We also weren’t passing well and there were passing good and they just had the energy on their side of the court and we didn’t.”

“We just communicated a lot more that second game,” said Aberdeen head coach Desiree Glanz, who has several new starters on the court after graduating seven seniors from last year’s squad. “I think with the group that was in there, they are confident with who they are playing with and they started strong and held it.”

RYAN SPARKS | THE DAILY WORLD Aberdeen middle blocker Ashlyn Richie scores on a kill during a 3-1 loss to Montesano on Wednesday at Montesano High School.

But Monte made the adjustments in games three and four, holding as much as an 18-8 lead in the third set and closed out the game with a 25-14 set-four victory, its largest lead of the evening.

Glanz said a key to her team’s loss was a drop off in its passing efficiency.

“I think our passing went downhill a little bit,” she said. “The dynamics of when certain players are not in, they kind of get quiet.”

“We came out with more energy,” said Otterstetter of Monte’s final two sets. “We started passing well. We started covering. We started doing everything well and we just connected as a team. … We started talking more often.”

Wecker said her team just needed to refocus and clean up the passing after the second set loss, which is what she relayed to her team heading into the third set.

“It all revolved around passing,” she said. “Offensively, we have some great hitters, but the pass has to be there. If Karissa is running all over the court, it’s so difficult. In order to use the tools we have, we have got to pass and it will click. When we had a good pass, it all came together.”

Otterstetter led Monte by filling up the stat sheet with 29 assists, eight kills, 10 digs, two blocks and went 16 for 17 from the service line.

Senior hitter/defensive specialist Liv Robinson had 34 digs out of the back row while hitters Kalia Hatton (14 kills, 30 digs) and Kylee Wisdom (12 kills, 22 digs) combined for 26 kills and 52 digs in the win.

Camp led Aberdeen with 13 kills and three blocks while setter Mia Hallak recorded 29 assists for the Cats.

Montesano heads to Yakima to play in the SunDome Tournament on Friday.

Aberdeen plays at Elma at 6:30 p.m. on Monday.

Aberdeen 15 25 16 14 – 1

Montesano 25 17 25 25 – 3

Leading players: Aberdeen – Camp (13 kills, 3 blocks); Richie (8 kills, ace); Lowrey (7 kills); Hallak (2 kills, 29 assists); Knutson (13 digs, assist, 3 aces); Vessey (12 digs). Montesano –Broten (10-10 service, 13 digs); Galvin (6 kills, 2 digs); Robinson (10-12 service, 34 digs); Otterstetter (16-17 service, ace, 10 digs, 2 blocks, 8 kills, 29 assists); Blancas (3 digs, 3 assists); Gooding (21-22 service, ace, 15 digs, kill, 2 assist); Wisdom (20-20 service, ace, 22 digs, 12 kills); Hatton (9-9 service, 30 digs, block, 14 kills).

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Hoquiam 3, Toledo 1

Hoquiam overcame a slow start to earn a 3-1 non-league win over Toledo on Wednesday at Toledo High School.

The Grizzlies (2-0) got off to a slow start but eventually won the first set 25-18 then lost their momentum en route to a 25-21 second-set loss, tying the match.

Hoquiam regained its energy and controlled the pace of play over the final two sets, winning the third set 25-11 and fourth set 25-19 to win the match.

“Had a tough time closing out the match but I’m really proud of how we finished,” Hoquiam head coach Heather Bozich said. “Even though we didn’t play the way I know we can, I am so incredibly proud of how they stayed positive, communicated and fought for every point.”

Libero Lexi LaBounty led Hoquiam’s defense with 27 digs while Katlyn Brodhead ran the offense with 27 assists while going 21 for 21 in service with seven aces.

Aaliyah Kennedy (15 kills) and Hayden Andrew (8 kills, 19-19 service) also provided plenty of offense for Hoquiam

Hoquiam plays at Rainier at 7 p.m. on Tuesday at Rainier High School.

Hoquiam 25 21 25 25 – 3

Toledo 18 25 11 19 – 1

Leading players: Hoquiam – LaBounty (27 digs); Brodhead (21-21 assists, 27 assists, 7 aces); Andrew (19-19 service, 8 kills, 3 aces); Kennedy (15 kills, 9 digs).

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Willapa Valley 3, Wishkah Valley 0

Willapa Valley dominated its 1B Coastal League opener with a straight-set victory over Wishkah Valley on Tuesday at Wishkah Valley High School.

The Vikings (2-0, 1-0 1B Coastal) didn’t need to play much defense as they combined for 33 aces as a team, led by Sam Sheary with eight and Bella Ruddell with six.

“Great match with improved serving from the service line,” Vikings head coach Chelsea Kempton said. “We focused on being patient with running an offense. It was a total team effort.”

Willapa Valley hosts Lake Quinault at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday.

Wishkah Valley hosts Oakville in a non-league matchup at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday.

Willapa Valley 25 25 25 – 3

Wishkah Valley 10 8 13 – 0

Leading players: Willapa Valley – Sheary (8 aces, kill, 4 assists); Ruddell (6 aces, assist); Matlock (4 aces, kill, 2 assists); Barnum (4 aces, 2 kills, block); Neva (3 aces); Hodel (3 aces, kill); Lynch (2 aces, block); R. Channell (2 aces, dig, 4 assists); Hurley (ace, 3 kills, 2 blocks); Borden (2 kills).

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Pe Ell 3, Ocosta 2

Ocosta rallied in the fourth set only to lose in the fifth in a 3-2 loss to Pe Ell in a non-league match on Wednesday at Pe Ell High School.

The Wildcats (1-1) trailed 2-1 and were down seven points in the fourth set before rallying to win Game 4 27-25 and force a fifth and final set.

But a talented Trojans team playing in front of its home crowd proved to be too much for the Wildcats as they dropped the fifth set 15-8.

“Our team dug deep and played with a ton of heart tonight vs a talented Pe Ell team,” Ocosta head coach Erin Snider said. “We struggled a bit in serve-receive but made solid offensive choices when we could get the ball to our hitters.”

Setter Millie Tucker led Ocosta with 20 assists while going a perfect 26 for 26 from the service line.

Middle hitter Anna Davis led the Wildcats with 12 kills.

Ocosta faced Taholah in a 1B Coastal League matchup at 7 p.m. on Tuesday in Taholah.

Ocosta 13 25 19 27 8 – 2

Pe Ell 25 15 25 25 15 – 3

Leading players: Ocosta – J. Schlegel (9 kills); Davis (12 kills); M. Tucker (26-26 service, 20 assists); A. Tucker (19-19 service); Cuzdey (15 digs).