MURDOCK - The Port Charlotte High volleyball team is making people forget last season's 7-17 record.

Port Charlotte raised its record to 4-2 with a 21-25, 25-18, 25-12, 25-23 victory over North Port Wednesday night, its second victory over the Class 6A Bobcats this season.

The Pirates have everybody back from last season's team, and that has shown with more experience in tough situations like Wednesday night.

"We made a few mistakes in the first game, but after that relaxed and played a lot better," Pirates coach Rodney Taylor said. "We got off ahead of them early in the second and third games and that helped.

"We played strong up front again and our setters, Kierston Smith and Chassity Taylor, did well. We did a good job on defense."

Smith had seven kills and Taylor six on the weak side. Up front, junior Taylor Eiken slammed down 18 kills and Holly Krzeminski had 16. Eiken had six kills in the third game which Port Charlotte won easily.

The Pirates took a 10-3 edge in the fourth game but the visitors battled back. Brittney Burnett had two aces and Kaitlyn Jaeger got two kills to help cut the lead to 15-12. North Port (2-3) finally went ahead on a kill by Adrienne Moreno at 17-16. The Bobcats increased their lead to 19-16 before Eiken got a kill. The hosts tied the game up at 19-19 on an ace by Jenna Parrish. The game was tied at 22-22 but Taylor got two aces for a 24-22 Pirates lead. The Bobcats cut the lead to 24-23, but the ball went into the net on the next play and Port Charlotte won 25-23 for the game and match victory.

Jaeger had seven kills and 11 service points for the Bobcats. Moreno added five kills. Sam Wood made nine service points.

"We just hurt ourselves with a lot of errors," North Port coach Becky Halbert said. "That's what hurt us after the first game."

Port Charlotte plays host to Lemon Bay in a non-district contest at 7 p.m. tonight. The Bobcats will meet visiting DeSoto at 7 p.m. Tuesday.

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