BAKER SPORTS: Bulldog volleyball ends season with four-set loss at Estacada; boys soccer falls to Ontario, 3-1

Published 5:06 pm Tuesday, October 29, 2024

The Baker volleyball team is hoping to advance to the Class 4A playoffs by beating Estacada in a play-in match this evening at Estacada starting at 6 p.m.

The Baker boys soccer team lost 3-1 at Ontario. Alan Bedolla scored Baker’s lone goal. The Bulldogs, 6-7 overall, finished third in the Greater Oregon League with a 3-3 record and will travel to Madras for a Class 4A play-in match on Friday, Nov. 1, at 6 p.m. The White Buffalos are ranked eighth and are 8-4-2 for the season.

Volleyball

First set

Baker scored the first three points, and it was tied at 4, 6, 7 and 8. Estacada took its first lead at 9-8, and the Rangers had a 10-4 run to take control as Baker struggled with defense and with getting good hitting chances. Estacada won the set 25-16.

Second set

This time Estacada started fast, taking a 3-0 lead. Baker rallied to lead 11-10, thanks in part to kills by Jaxyn Ramos and Sydney Penning. The Rangers scored seven straight to lead 17-11, but Baker got within 20-18 on Ashlyn Dalton’s ace serve. 

But Baker couldn’t maintain the momentum and Estacada won the set, 25-20.

Third set

Baker kept its season alive with a strong performance, never trailing en route to the 25-10 win.

Penning had two blocks and a kill, and Lexi Rupel and Olivia Jacoby had kills as Baker never let the Rangers get into an offensive groove. The Bulldogs also severely cut back on errors compared with the first two sets. Jayden Whitford had a diving save that led to a Baker point during a 7-3 run that boosted the Bulldogs’ lead to 14-6.

Fourth set

Baker appeared poised to force a decisive fifth set, leading 17-13 after Dalton’s save led to Rupel’s kill. But Estacada scored eight straight points to lead 21-17, and although Baker got to within 21-19 on Taylor Churchfield’s ace, and to within 24-23 on Rupel’s kill, the Bulldogs couldn’t complete the comeback, losing 25-23.

“A game that we absolutely could have won,” Baker coach Ali Woodward said. 

She said Baker simply made too many unforced errors in the first two sets.

The third set, which Baker dominated, showed that the Bulldogs were capable of beating Estacada, she said.

Woodward said the 8-0 run by the Rangers in the fourth set was the key.

Despite the season-ending loss, Woodward said she was proud of the team’s effort, as 10 seniors played their final match.

“For the seniors, this is a good way for them to go out — they emptied their tank when they left the court. They fought to the very last ball hit the floor.”