If there is one the Montesano Bulldogs took away from a straight-set victory over Ocosta it’s this: Communication is key.

After edging the Wildcats in the second game, Montesano cruised to a third-set victory for a 25-13, 25-21 and 25-7 win on Wednesday in Montesano.

After Montesano (6-5 overall) got out to a good start with a 12-point win in Game 1, the two teams battled through several ties and lead changes in the second game.

Tied at 17-all, Montesano went on a run. The Bulldogs got its first three-point lead of the set at 20-17 on a block by sophomore middle blocker Kalia Hatton and extended the lead to 23-18 after multiple Ocosta errors.

Ocosta (5-5) got to within three at 24-21 on a kill from senior Emily Scott, but Monte closed out the set after a Wildcats shot sailed long for a 25-21 Bulldogs win.

The third set was all Montesano. The Bulldogs jumped out to a 14-1 lead led by the play at the net of senior middle blocker Addie Winter and the hammering hitting of senior Ashlyn Devereaux.

RYAN SPARKS | THE DAILY WORLD Montesano middle blocker Addie Winter (13) puts up a drop shot against Ocosta’s Alexia Bradley during the Bulldogs’ 3-0 win in a non-league match on Wednesday in Montesano.

Monte continued to play well throughout the set, jumping out to a 20-4 lead before eventually winning 25-7 on an ace from sophomore setter Karissa Otterstetter.

“This is a very talented group but we’ve got one major fault: We don’t talk,” Montesano head coach Pat Pace said of his team’s naturally quiet nature. “In that last set, they just started talking to one another and when they start talking, their feet start moving and that was the difference.”

“We started playing more as a team and talking more together,” said Devereaux, who led Monte with 10 kills and seven aces in the match. “Just having more communication helped us move better.”

Winter added eight kills and a block while senior Maia Young added four kills for the Bulldogs offense.

Monte’s setting game was led by senior Jordan Karr and sophomore Karissa Otterstetter, who had 14 and 10 assists, respectively.

Ocosta was led by hustling junior setter Brynn Rasmus (13 assists, 12-12 service), senior Emily Scott (6 kills) and sophomore Jolissa Schlegel (5 kills).

“We struggled in our service receive tonight, which is something we’ve been working really hard on,” said Ocosta head coach Erin Snider, whose team has been dealing with recent injuries and illnesses that have caused her to shuffle the lineup. “We’re kind of getting things back together and I think we’re going to get there, it’s just going to take a little bit of work.”

RYAN SPARKS | THE DAILY WORLD Ocosta senior Alexandria Matthews (18) and Montesano’s Addie Winter (13) meet at net during the Bulldogs’ 3-0 win in a non-league match on Wednesday in Montesano.

The non-league matchup fell in an odd spot for Ocosta, which defeated Tenino 24 hours earlier and is set to play Raymond in a key 2B Pacific League game on Thursday, it’s third game in as many days.

“We’ve got some really good experienece in the last couple of days. We’ve ironed out some kinks and that’s just going to benefit us for tomorrow (against Raymond),” Snider said. “We’re very excited for Raymond. We’ve made some changes since the last time we faced them. I feel that we are going to be very competitive with them and I can’t wait.”

Monte’s next game is a showdown with league and Harbor rival Hoquiam at 7 p.m. on Tuesday at Hoquiam Square Garden.

“Both teams want to win really bad, I know that for sure,” Devereaux said of next week’s anticipated match against the Grizzlies. “I’m expecting it to be a really tough game where both teams are trying their hardest.”

Ocosta 13 21 7 — 0

Montesano 25 25 25 — 3

North Beach 3, Ilwaco 2

On the brink of losing three straight games after opening up a 2-0 lead, North Beach responded to win the fifth set in a 3-2 victory over Ilwaco on Tuesday in Ocean Shores.

The Hyaks (3-6, 3-2 2B Pacific) won the first two games by identical scores of 25-23 followed by losses of 25-19 and 25-17 in games thee and four, respectively.

But behind the play of senior Kaci Osborne-Hanson (9 kills, 92% service) and sophomore Kayla Eastman (4 blocks), North Beach responded by winning the fifth set 15-9 to pick up the win.

“We moved to a new rotation, using a new setter and everyone was getting comfortable,” Hyaks head coach Jessica Preisinger said. “I was so proud of the ladies for keeping their composure as we worked through the kinks of a new rotation.”

North Beach hosts Forks at 7 p.m. on Thursday.

Ilwaco 23 23 25 25 9 — 2

North Beach 25 25 19 17 15 — 3

Raymond-South Bend 3, Ocosta 2

Raymond-South Bend benefited from an Ocosta own goal in a 3-2 victory on Wednesday at South Bend High School.

Ocosta (4-5-1 overall, 2-2 2B Pacific) trailed the Ravens (3-5-1, 2-2) 2-0 after RSB goals in the 15th and 52nd minutes.

Late in the game, Ocosta pulled a defender up as an additional midfielder in hopes to spark the offense.

Ocosta sophomore midfielder Kennedy Reynolds then scored a goal in the 76th minute and followed with an assist on a goal to her sister, senior forward Miki Ness, two minutes later to tie the game at 2-2.

After a scoreless first overtime period, an Ocosta own-goal with three minutes left in the second overtime gave the Ravens the 3-2 victory.

Ocosta head coach Mike King stated he was proud of the sense of urgency his squad played with to score two goals to tie the game in the final four minutes of regulation.

“At that point we had the momentum and thought we’d pull it out,” he said. “We kept the pressure on and fought until the end.”

Ocosta outshot RSB 25-16 in the game.

The Wildcats face Napavine at 6 p.m. on Monday at Napavine High School.

RSB hosts Ilwaco at 6 p.m. on Monday.

Ocosta 0 2 0 0 — 2

RSB 2 0 0 1 — 3

PREP BOYS GOLF

Tuwmater 210, Aberdeen 227

Though each Bobcat golfer shot under their season averages, Aberdeen suffered its first loss of the season 210-227 to Tumwater on Tuesday at Tumwater Valley Golf Course.

Charlie Ancich shot a 40 to lead Aberdeen, including a birdie on the par-5 18th hole as the two teams played the match on the back-9 (normally played on the front-9).

“Only two (Aberdeen) players had ever played the back nine. Every player had at least one hole with a high score,” Aberdeen head coach Dan Sundstrom said. “It is always tough to suffer your first loss of the season, but having almost everyone shoot under his average takes a little sting out of it.”

Tumwater (210) — Nolan Campbell 38, Kaden Clark 40, Reagan Broom 41, Braden Conrad 42, Landan Baydo 49.

Aberdeen (227) — Charlie Ancich 40, Baylor Ainsworth 44, Trevon Nichols 45, Hunter Eisele 47, Luke Niemi 51.

Elma 181, Tenino 188

Elma defeated Tenino 181-188 on Tuesday at the Tahoma Valley Golf Course.

The Eagles were led by Robbie Allen, who shot a low-round of 39 for his 9-hole round.

Other scores for Elma came from Traden Carter (45), Grant Vessey (46) and Quinton Osbun, Blake Corr and Cason Seaberg, who tied with a identical rounds of 51.