by MICHAEL DASHIELL

Sequim Gazette

Advantage, Vikings.

North Kitsap got 16 kills and eight assists from star Sarah Baugh in a 3-1 win at Sequim on Oct. 13, taking the lead in a three-way dogfight for first place in the Olympic League.

Sequim took an early lead with a 25-13 win in the first set, but then dropped the succeeding sets 25-21, 25-11 and 25-20.

“(In the) third game they outhit us, played better defense,” Sequim coach Jennie Webber Heilman said.

Sequim got 10 kills each from Haleigh Harrison and Kyla Martin. Harrison also led the squad with five blocks and 13 digs.

Sequim’s Alexas Besand was a perfect 19-of-19 serving, while Taylor Balkan added a team-high 22 assists and 12 digs.

Nicole Weber led North Kitsap with 21 assists and Meaghan Houser added 35 digs.

After suffering their first league loss of the 2011 campaign, Sequim (4-1 in league, 8-2 overall) rebounded with a three-set sweep of Port Townsend (25-7, 25-10, 25-11) on Oct. 13.

Balkan was 21-of-22 from the service line and had seven aces and 23 assists. Harrison paced the offense with 15 kills.

Sequim recorded 21 aces overall.

Results of Sequim’s Tuesday evening home match versus Port Angeles were not available at press time — see www.sequimgazette.com for updates.

The Wolves cap the regular season with an Oct. 20 match in Silverdale against Olympic and an Oct. 25 home date with Klahowya.

Season notes:

Balkan leads Sequim with 268 assists — nearly 27 per contest — and in serving, tallying a 93-percent serve rate and 335 aces … Harrison leads the Wolves with 124 kills and 36 blocks. Besand is second in kills with 41 while Rylleigh Zbaraschuk is third with 37 … Emily Wallner is second with nine blocks … Hannah Hudson leads the team with 123 digs. Balkan is second with 95.

Reach Michael Dashiell at miked@sequimgazette.com.