Katie Banta sets the ball for Jodi Smartt during the second game of their match against Junction City on Wednesday. World Photo by Lou Sennick.

North Bend beat Junction City Wednesday night to improve to 2-0 on the volleyball season.

The Bulldogs won 25-15, 25-19, 25-15 in their home opener.

North Bend coach Les Willett was delighted with his team’s defense.

“We dug them,” he said. “They didn’t get a lot of hits.”

North Bend libero Ashley Horlacher had 15 digs in the match, while middle blocker Jodi Smartt had four stuff blocks, along with six kills.

Haley Dunham had six kills and four aces for North Bend. Alexandra Mateski had five kills and five digs and also had an outstanding night in serve-receive, passing on a rating of 2.4 out of 3.

“She passed excellent,” Willett said.

North Bend setter Katie Banta had 20 assists, spread out among seven different players.

“We were scrappy when we had to be,” Willett said. “We passed the ball better tonight than we did last night.”

Samantha Shipley and Andrea Tereault had four kills each for Junction City, which hosts Siuslaw tonight.

North Bend gets its annual early season test in the Roseburg Invitationalon Saturday.

The Bulldogs, one of the few small schools in the 16-school tournament, are in a pool with Class 6A powers North Medford and North Salem and top Class 5A school Crater.

“It’s good for us,” Willett said of the tournament.

Marshfield also is in the tournament, and those two teams meet Tuesday in the annual Civil War at North Bend.

The Pirates open the season at home tonight against Roseburg.

Several other SouthCoast schools, meanwhile, will be in action Saturday at the annual Reedsport Invitational.

Bobcats fall

Douglas beat Myrtle Point 25-18, 18-25, 25-15, 25-12 in the season opener between the schools at Winston on Tuesday.

Sam Sanders had five digs and four assists for the Bobcats, while Erin Fullerton had six blocks and Shirah Stidham had seven digs.

Courtney Bush had 10 kills to lead the Trojans, while Alaina Findlay had 19 assists.