By By KEVIN TRAVIS, Sports Editor
BETHEL — Haley Hiatt dominated the net at times. Blaklee Wolfe once again had a number of impressive kills. And the Washington Pam Pack volleyball team looked great at times.
Unfortunately for Washington, those solid spurts weren’t enough as the spikers fell in three games to North Pitt. Led by the powerful hitting Abby Wynne, the Panthers picked up a 25-19, 25-17, 25-14 victory in Wednesday’s non-conference match.
“I just told the girls that slowly but surely, we’re improving in gradual increments,” Washington coach Tara Hunter said. “We’re working on it, point by point. Sometimes we let those points affect us too much.”
Hiatt and Wolfe had seven kills apiece to lead the Pack (0-10, 0-5 Coastal Conference) at the net. Hiatt also had four aces and eight points from the service line.
Hunter, who praised the play of Hiatt, Wolfe and Sarah Nicholls, saw her team battle back from an early deficit to take a 9-6 lead in the first game. Wolfe had three kills and Hiatt one in the early run, while Racheal Toler and Robin Lilley served up aces.
The Panthers responded with six consecutive points in grabbing a 12-9 advantage. North Pitt pushed its lead to 15-10 before a Jazzmin Gibbs kill and three straight aces from Hiatt pulled Washington within 15-14. The Pack couldn’t get any closer as North Pitt took the 25-19 win.
Hiatt sizzled at the net in the early stages of the second game, combining with Wolfe for a block and then smashing three kills to help the Pack make it 6-6. North Pitt was able to take a 9-8 lead and then withstood a handful of charges from the Pack, eventually capturing the 25-17 victory.
North Pitt jumped out to a 6-1 lead in the third game before Toler’s three straight service points made it 6-5. The Panthers answered with a handful of runs, pushing their lead over 10 points before taking the 25-14 win.
“We just need that desire to keep working,” Hunter said. “We’re getting there.”
Washington’s junior varsity team put up a solid fight, but fell in two games.
The Pack plays host to West Carteret in a conference match today at 4:30 p.m.