Withstanding every charge by visiting Shorecrest, the Oak Harbor High School volleyball team trimmed the Scots in three close games Wednesday, Sept. 24.

The Wildcats won 25-22, 27-25, 25-19.

Oak Harbor led most of the first two games but could not bury the Scots, who kept chipping away at the leads. The Wildcats, however, controlled play during the tense final points of each set to claim the sweep.

In game one, Oak Harbor went on a 5-1 run with the help of three consecutive aces by Hailey Beecher to lead 17-10.

Shorecrest (1-2, 3-2) eventually trimmed the gap to one, 24-23, before a kill by Hailee Blau sealed the set.

The Wildcats never trailed in the second set, but the Scots hung close, tying the score multiple times.

After a 12-12 tie, Oak Harbor edged out to its biggest lead, 18-14, before the Scots rallied again.

Like the first game, Oak Harbor held game point at 24-22; this time Shorecrest evened the set at 24-24 and 25-25. Two hitting errors by the Scots handed Oak Harbor the win.

The third game followed a different pattern. Shorecrest zipped to a 6-0 lead, then the Wildcats took off, outscoring the Scots 15-3 for a 15-9 lead.

Shorecrest worked to within three several times; its final push made it 21-18.

Oak Harbor finished with a flourish with the help of a Julie Jansen tip and an Aubrey Lock ace.

Claire Anderson kept the Oak Harbor offense humming throughout the match, finishing with 18 kills. Blau collected five and Amelia Berner four.

Anderson also led the defense with 21 digs, one more than Priya Osborne.

Beecher added 13 assists and five aces.

Wildcat coach Kerri Molitor said her team was more consistent than in its loss to Arlington two days earlier but still had lapses.

“We seem to have mental letdowns when we think we don’t have to concentrate,” she said, citing the lack of focus in the beginning of the third Shorecrest game after winning the first two sets.

“The players believe they can come back, which is good, but we can’t fall behind 9-0 in the fifth set like we did at Arlington and expect to win,” she said.

Molitor used 14 players against Shorecrest and said the depth of the squad is a positive: “Everyone contributes; everyone is ready to play.”

Oak Harbor (2-1, 2-3) hosts Meadowdale (0-3, 0-5) at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 30.