The Oak Harbor High School volleyball team wasn’t able to hold a big lead in the first game with visiting Edmonds-Woodway Thursday, Oct. 8, and that set the tone for a 3-1 loss.

The Warriors won 25-22, 16-25, 25-13, 25-23.

The Wildcats saw a 10-point lead evaporate in the first set but seemed to recover by rolling to a second-game win.

However, the same unsteady play that let the first-game margin melt away reappeared in the third set, and Edmonds-Woodway pulled away for the easy win.

The Warriors (2-4, 3-5) continued to dominate play in the fourth game, going up 8-1 and 15-7.

Oak Harbor wasn’t quite finished. Fueled by two kills from Geslyne Barreta, a kill from Claire Anderson, an ace by AnnaBelle Whitefoot and combined block from Anderson and Whitefoot, Oak Harbor went on an 11-3 run to tie the match at 18-18.

E-W responded with a 6-2 run to lead 24-20. With the help of a Hailee Blau kill and Whitefoot ace, Oak Harbor cut the gap to 24-23, but a Wildcat hitting error ended the match.

Anderson piled up 10 kills, 4.5 blocks, three aces and 11 digs; Whitefoot added five kills, four aces and 21 digs; and Jayne Payne had 32 assists, nine digs and an ace.

Barreta finished with five kills and 13 digs, and Blau tallied 10 kills.

Oak Harbor (3-4, 3-6) goes to Wenatchee this weekend for a tournament, then plays Marysville-Pilchuck (3-4, 3-5) at home at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 13.

(Left, Stephanie Kolden passes as Priya Osborne looks on. Middle, Claire Anderson passes in front of Geslyne Barreta. Below, AnnaBelle Whitefoot sets. Photos by John Fisken.)