“POULSBO – The Poulsbo Junior High Panthers beat the Kingston Cavaliers yesterday at volleyball, three games to none. The win caps an 11-1 season that saw Poulsbo lose only to Central Kitsap, then beat the Cougars in their second match of the year. PJH Coach Jo Fortenbacher said that she knew Kingston would not be an easy team to beat. They came into the game against Poulsbo with a 9-2 record. But Poulsbo jumped out to a lead in the first game. With Jamie Heins serving, Poulsbo ran off six points before a return by the Cavaliers’ Katy Johnson put an end to the run. But Kingston didn’t gain a point with that possession. When a Megan Brose hit stayed in, Poulsbo got the ball back and took advantage. They got three more points, two of them on back-to-back aces by Brose. Poulsbo now held a 9-0 lead, but the Cavs began scoring. First came a misplay on a solid Kingston serve by Jennifer Buckner, giving the Cavs their first point of the game. They added two more with Annie Moises serving. But Poulsbo went on another brief run, and soon stood one point away from a first-game win. The score was 14-5. Again, Kingston worked their way back. A Liz Tomzyck ace began a four-point run with Tomzyck serving. When it ended the game stood closer at 14-9. But when Poulsbo got the ball back, Jamie Monaco served one more point, and Poulsbo had won the first game 15-9. The Cavaliers took the lead to begin the second game. First with Katy Johnson serving, then with back-to-back aces by Tomzyck, Kingston built a 3-0 lead. The Panthers quickly came back, getting three points, the third coming when Megan Jaynes jumped and tapped a return over the net. So the game stood tied at 3-3. Kingston burst out to another lead, going up 6-3, but Poulsbo again started to come back, then took the lead with Heins serving. With Poulsbo holding a scant 7-6 lead, Kingston came back to tie the game when the miscommunication on the Panthers’ part let a ball drop in front of the defense. Poulsbo took the lead back, 8-7, when a running Jaynes tipped the ball over the net. And Poulsbo built on the lead, scoring and scoring until the lead was 13-7. Kingston struggled back. It was 13-8 after Johnson, running in full stride, leaped up and gently tipped the ball up and over the net. Then it was 13-9 after miscommunication again let the ball drop. But the Panthers could not be beaten. They scored the final few points to win the game, 15-9. Junior-high games are best of three, so the Panthers had won the match. But they always play the third game, and Poulsbo won this one too, jumping out to a 6-0 lead, then continuing to dominate as they drove to a 15-3 lead. Poulsbo won all three games, and beat the Cavs for their eleventh, and final, win of the year. You’ve got to give a lot of credit to Poulsbo – they were the better team tonight, said Kingston coach Tim French. They deserved to win. We fought hard, and at times played as well as we could play. French was proud of the efforts by J.J Proudfoot, playing more than she usually does, Lisa Kelbon, who set well, and the leadership of Tomzyck. Fortenbacher was also pleased with her players’ efforts, especially Megan Brose (I’ve never seen her serve the way she did today) and Jamie Heins (She comes through every single game). Fortenbacher is sad to see the season end. Eleven of her players will graduate to the high school. It felt good to win, she said, but sad. “