Winning the first game of Monday’s WesCo North volleyball match against Cascade continued the jinx that has plagued Oak Harbor for the past several weeks.
The Wildcats (1-5 league, 3-9 overall) played strong in the first game and had a relatively easy time defeating the Bruins, who had been winless in league matches, 25-19.
Oak Harbor got points on serve by Kim Mowbray and Jennifer Jansen was a force at the net, as the Wildcats built an 11-8 lead early in the game.
However, Cascade hung around and at one point tied the score 15-15.
The two teams traded points until a double block at the net by Mowbray and Jansen put the Wildcats back on serve with a 20-18 lead.
Now up 23-19, a pair of Bruin misses on returns earned Oak Harbor a first-game victory.
Oak Harbor started strong in the second game taking a 4-0 lead, but then Cascade began to battle back.
Neither team was able to build a commanding lead and the score was knotted several times before Cascade managed to pull the game out 27-25.
The third game also went to extra points with both teams having a chance to win the game in regulation, but the Bruins prevailed 29-27.
In the fourth and final game, Oak Harbor coach Kerri Molitor pulled most of her starting players out and let the reserves take over to see if they would have any better success.
Unfortunately, they were unable to compete at the same level as the Cascade players and the Bruins picked up their first WesCo North victory of the season, 25-18.
Jansen led the Wildcats with 13 kills and teammate Jennifer Muzzall had 12.
Oak Harbor travels to Snohomish today and ends the season Nov. 4 hosting Monroe.
