PINETOWN — With the graduation of the Northside volleyball team’s two captains, Cheyenne Franks and Alexandra Cutler, it was no secret the Panthers’ production on the court would take a substantial hit in 2014. Head coach Kayla Maddox not only needed to devise a way to replace over 150 kills, but also find new leaders in her rotation.

“A lot of the ones who were a little bit meeker last year have risen to the occasion and filled those spots, which I am impressed by,” Maddox said. ”This being the first time I’ve been the head coach for two teams, I knew we weren’t going to be this win-every-game kind of team. But they’re fighters and I’m really impressed by that.”

After the relatively slow start, the Panthers’ 3-1 win over Bear Grass on Thursday moved them back to the .500 mark for the third time in six games. Thursday’s game, in some respect, provided a perfect paradigm to Northside’s back-and-forth start to the young season.

Bear Grass, the smallest school in the Coastal Plains Conference, may be in the midst of a rebuilding phase across the entire athletics program, but their volleyball team has proved it can play with the best.

Jumping out to a 4-1 lead, the Bears’ defense kept them in the match early. In a first game that had eight lead changes, both sets of hitters traded points, until a block and point from Madison Tetterton and an ace from Sara Rhem gave the Panthers a four-point lead, their biggest of the contest. Northside took the first game, 25-18.

Maddox’s team maintained the momentum heading into Game 2. With Rachel Lang serving, the Panthers scored the first five points, forcing a quick timeout from Bear Grass. Following the stoppage in play, the Bears slowly began to chip away at the home team’s lead, until they went up 22-21 after a few unforced errors from Northside. Despite 10 kills in total, the Panthers dropped a close second game, 25-21.

In the third, it was Bear Grass that controlled the tempo early, but kills from Jamie Woolard and Kara Faith gave Northside a lead it wouldn’t relinquish for the remainder of the match. The Panthers won the third game, 25-18, and eventually the fourth, 25-15.

“We could of probably beaten them a little quicker than we did, but they played hard,” Maddox said. “They’re ralliers. They get down and they keep on fighting.”

Adams and Woolard both finished with four kills apiece. After a standout offensive campaign last year, Adams is assuming a new role on the court, leading by example.

“More than anything, she doesn’t get into her own head,” Maddox said. “When she has a bad hit, you don’t see it on her face. She’s positive and a good force for keeping the other girls in a good mood. Really, it’s just that leadership quality in her, as well as being a crucial point scorer.”

Northside will travel to Jones Senior on Tuesday in hopes of picking up win No. 4.