Over the past four years a sort of cockiness has built up around the Coupeville volleyball program.

And justifiably so.

Since 2000 the Wolves have made the class A state tournament every season — achieving a number-one overall state ranking for the first time ever last year.

Great feats indeed, but at the same time it’s made an 0-5 start in 2005 that much more difficult to swallow.

“It’s just really frustrating at this point for myself and the girls,” head coach Toni Crebbin said.

Coupeville, which lost its first four non-league contests this season, had its frustrations continue in its first league match on Thursday night as it lost three straight games, 25-12, 25-15, 25-18 at home to Mount Vernon Christian.

Eager to get things turned around in front of their home crowd, the Wolves came out fired up in the first game as they jumped out to a 2-0 lead.

A series of mistakes, however, led to a quick collapse.

Coupeville allowed eight aces by Mount Vernon Christian and committed 11 unforced errors that permitted the Hurricanes to run away with the game.

Crebbin said a lack of ability to return serves and committing unforced mistakes have been a common theme so far this season.

“That’s our spot we just can’t get right,” she said. “It’s hard to do anything else when you can’t start with that.”

Coupeville’s woes continued well past the first game.

Over the next two, the Wolves allowed 16 more aces by the Hurricanes and committed 19 unforced errors.

Finding a bright spot in the loss, Crebbin was pleased with her team’s ability to get its serves over the net on a regular basis — something else that had troubled the Wolves in their first four matches.

“We only missed three serves all night, that’s really strong,” she said.

Senior Beth Mouw led Coupeville with four aces and eight assists, while senior Jennifer Bailey added three kills.

In the four-team Northwest A league Coupeville only has to finish in the top two to return to the district tournament.

Crebbin feels strongly that the Wolves, who have only three players returning from last year’s varsity team, will only improve as the season progresses.

“I really see us being in the top two A schools,” she said. “Whatever we get this season it’s not going to be handed to us, we have to earn it.”

La Conner (4-1) will again be the team to beat, but Coupeville can’t take Friday Harbor (0-3) and Concrete (0-1) for granted.

CHS next faces Northwest B Darrington on the road, Tuesday, Oct. 4. The Wolves have their next home game Thursday, Oct. 6 against Friday Harbor.