ILWACO – The Lady Fishermen dropped three straight games in losing their first volleyball match of the season to Warrenton here Tuesday. Ilwaco was tied at 7-7 in both games one and three, but the Warriors went on scoring binges in each of those contests and then bolted to a 9-1 lead in game two to winning the non-league match handily.

Second-year Coach Candy Johnson said, “We are playing at a higher level than we were at this time last year. We did a lot of good things, but we still need all the girls to be at practice to get our team play down.” Assistant Doug Rogers praised, “We had some nice reactions to the ball tonight, but our defensive coverage as a team needs to improve.”

In the first game the score was tied at three, four, five, six, and seven-all before Warrenton went on an 8-1 run and a 12-2 tear to go up 21-9 before winning 25-13. Game two the Warriors kept the momentum by scoring the first five points and taking a commanding 9-1 lead, before going up 21-9. The Lady Fishermen had a late spurt to close within 25-13.

The third game Ilwaco tied the score at 7-7 on a Courtney Gilgore service ace and then an Erin McDonnell kill. The Warriors battled to a 20-14 lead and closed out the scoring 25-15. Johnson said, “Erin passed well and Charlotte Johnson did well as a setter. We had some very good serves, but we were not as consistent at the service line as I’d like us to be.”

Ilwaco misfired on 11 serves in the match to eight for Warrenton. The visitors from Oregon out-blocked Ilwaco 8-3 and had a huge advantage of 20 kills to five for the Lady Fishermen. The Warriors had 14 service aces to eight for Ilwaco. Junior Lauren Dove led Warrenton with five kills and six blocks while Gilgore and Johnson topped Ilwaco with three aces each, McDonnell had three kills and Melany Bliss had two blocks. Bliss said, “We had more good blocks and hits this year than we did at the beginning of last year and we served better.”

Ilwaco JV’s lost their match 2-1 after winning the first game 25-13. The final two games Warrenton won 25-15 and 15-2. Coach Linda Raaymakers said, “Sydney Ward served very well, scoring about 20 points for us and Heidi Reichter played a good all-around game in her first match.”