With a young team learning the ropes, this type of start wasn’t unexpected.

The Coupeville High School volleyball team struggled in its season and conference opener at Cedarcrest in Duvall Thursday, Sept. 6, as the Red Wolves won 25-21, 25-11, 25-14.

Though the Wolves dropped the first game, coach Toni Crebbin liked what he saw and, with the first-game jitters out of the way, thought things would “go our way” in the second set.

However, Coupeville put in a ragged performance in the second game as Cedarcrest’s big hitter, Kailynn Campbell, got on a roll.

The Wolves’ play picked up in the third game, Crebbin said, but Campbell continued to dominate and finished the match with 12 kills and four aces.

Crebbin said, “Our serving was decent, as was our hitting. We didn’t rack up a lot of errors, we just didn’t get a lot of chances.”

She added, “If we play like we did in game one, we will win matches.”

Bessie Walstad, the one veteran on the young squad, topped Coupeville with four kills, two aces and 20 digs. Hailey Hammer added four kills and Megan Oakes nine assists and two aces.

Crebbin said, “Bessie did a great job; she is our physical and mental leader.”

The Wolves go to Lakewood (0-1) Tuesday, Sept. 11, and then play their first home match with rival South Whidbey (0-1) Thursday, Sept. 13, at 7 p.m.