North Bend’s volleyball team started the season on a positive note by beating host Marist in a five-game marathon.

The Bulldogs won 25-23, 25-20, 24-26, 13-25, 15-8.

“We had a match point in the third game and gave it away and we came back in the fifth,” said North Bend coach Les Willett. “It was good character building.”

The Spartans were without one of their top players, but still were an outstanding team, Willett said.

“I was very proud of the fact that they came back after the tough (fourth) game,” he said. “We came back tough and served tough and really played well. It’s going to help us down the road, I hope.”

North Bend won with solid defense and mistake-free offense. In the fifth game, the Bulldogs took the lead early with solid serving and then kept the ball in play with steady defense.

“We didn’t have very many kills, but we played good defense,” Willett said. “They had more mistakes than we did.”

Alexandra Mateski had 12 kills, 14 digs and two blocks for North Bend. Katie Banta had 29 assists and seven kills on surprise tips over the net. Libero Ashley Horlacher had 27 digs and middle blocker Jodi Smartt had six aces.

Allie Rodgers had six blocks and 13 kills for Marist.

North Bend is back in action tonight, hosting Junction City in an OSAA endowment game.

Panthers top Bruins

Gold Beach beat host Brookings-Harbor 25-20, 22-25, 25-17, 25-19 in the season opener on Tuesday.

Molly Hockema had 12 kills and seven aces for the Panthers. Melissa Smith and Katherine Zuber each added six kills.

Dani Olson had nine kills, six blocks and three aces for the Bruins. Taylor Keys had four kills and four blocks.

Red Devils win

Coquille got nine digs and nine kills from Steph Jones and 20 digs from Lindsey Cooper in a 25-23, 25-23, 22-25, 25-14 win over host Waldport.

GIRLS SOCCER

Pirates tie Eagles

Marshfield played to a 1-1 draw with visiting Eagle Point in the season opener on Tuesday at Pete Susick Stadium.

Marshfield freshman Josie Berger scored an unassisted goal in the 25th minute and the Pirates led until Eagle Point got its goal in the 76th minute off a corner kick.

Both teams were scoreless in the two overtime sessions.

“I have to give so much credit to the kids,” said Marshfield coach Kitty DeMoss. “They didn’t give up. They kept fighting.

“We have so much senior leadership. I was so proud of the seniors. It’s so good to see our young kids developing and the seniors are just supporting them.”

Marshfield goalie Megan Meador had 11 saves, many coming in the early minutes while the Marshfield defenders were settling their nerves.

“She had to make some saves that were really incredible,” DeMoss said.

Marshfield also got a good game from defender Hannah Francis.

The result in the season opener left DeMoss excited for the upcoming weeks.

“There’s some kids that are really starting to shine and to show their potential,” she said.