BAKER VOLLEYBALL: Bulldogs open season with losses to Vale, Fruitland

Published 9:30 am Wednesday, August 30, 2023

Baker’s volleyball team opened the season by playing host to Vale and Fruitland on Tuesday, Aug. 29 in the Baker gym.

With JV and JV2 teams also playing, the gym was divided into two courts.

Baker opened against Vale. The Bulldogs had a lead early in the first set but the Vikings rallied to win 25-20.

The second set was the opposite, with Vale leading initially but Baker coming back to win 25-19 and even the match.

Vale was in control for much of the final two sets, turning back Baker rallies to win 25-16 and 25-19 and take the match in four sets.

After Vale and Fruitland played, with Fruitland prevailing in four sets, the Grizzlies from Idaho took the court against Baker.

Fruitland dominated the first set, 25-9.

The Bulldogs were more competitive in the second and third sets, but Fruitland’s powerful offense proved too much as the Grizzlies completed the sweep by scores of 25-18 and 25-17.

Serve errors and other mistakes compounded the challenge for Baker, coach Ali Abrego said.

“Honestly we just couldn’t get into the rhythm,” she said. “We had some really bright spots but ultimately we gave them too many points.

“Our passers, Lilly Wilson and Jayden Whitford, did a really nice job for us today and offensively Olivia Jacoby and Lexi Rupel did as well, scored us quite a few points actually.”

Cutting down on mistakes that give the opponent free points will be a focus as the season continues, Abrego said.

“It definitely shows that there’s always room for improvement, just working on controlling what we can control,” she said. “If we eliminate our mistakes we can be successful. We gotta figure out a way to change that.”

Playing two strong

teams in the same day was a daunting way to start the season, Abrego said. And the caliber of opponents won’t decrease when Baker travels to Burns

on Thursday, Aug. 31 to play Class 3A powers Burns and Sisters.

Sisters is 2-0 on the season and Burns is 3-1, with its only loss to Class 6A South Medford.

Though Tuesday wasn’t the ideal start, Abrego said the Bulldogs kept their focus throughout.

“We had a lot of good things happen tonight,” she said.

JV matches

Baker won both, beating Vale, 20-25, 25-23, 15-13, and sweeping Fruitland, 25-10, 25-21.

JV2 matches

Baker beat Vale, 25-12, 25-19, and lost to Fruitland, 25-22, 23-25, 15-10.

Powder Valley’s volleyball team opened its season by sweeping two opponents on Tuesday, Aug. 29 at North Powder.

The Badgers beat Central Christian and South Wasco County.

Powder was scheduled to play host to Trinity Lutheran on Wednesday, Aug. 30, and to Pine Eagle on Thursday, Aug. 31 at 5 p.m.

Pine Eagle swept Huntington in the season-opening match for both teams on Aug. 24.