The Baker volleyball team started the Greater Oregon League season with a couple of bus rides — and a couple of losses.

The Bulldogs traveled to Pendleton on Monday, Sept. 25, losing in three sets to the Buckaroos in a match originally set for Sept. 21 but postponed due to a truck crash that closed Interstate 84.

On Tuesday, Sept. 26, Baker returned to the freeway for the shorter trip to La Grande, where the Bulldogs battled but couldn’t overcome the Tigers in four sets, 25-15, 20-25, 25-11, 25-18.

Baker is 2-9 overall, 0-2 in league play.

“It’s tough to play two tough league opponents back to back after a weekend on the road, but the girls battled hard,” Baker coach Ali Abrego said after the loss at La Grande.

The Bulldogs traveled to the Willamette Valley over the weekend to play in a tournament at North Marion on Saturday, Sept. 23.

Baker amassed close to 1,000 miles during the five-day period.

At La Grande

The Tigers, with a raucous student section cheering for them, scored the first three points of the first set before Baker rallied to tie it at 4.

The Bulldogs stayed close for much of the set but couldn’t put together an extended run of points.

La Grande took control with a 6-2 run to lead 20-14, then scored five of the last six points to close out the set.

The Tigers led early in the second set as well, but never by more than three points.

Taylor Churchfield’s kill tied it at 12 and started a 4-0 Baker run that gave the Bulldogs a 15-12 lead and prompted a La Grande timeout.

The Tigers took advantage of the break, scoring the next five points to regain the lead at 17-15.

But Baker responded with its own five-point run, including another kill by Churchfield, to lead 21-17 and force another Tiger timeout.

La Grande cut the lead in half, at 22-20, and Abrego called timeout. The Bulldogs finished strong, getting to set point at 24-20 on Sydney Penning’s kill, then winning the set on a La Grande error.

Baker carried over the momentum into the third set — but only briefly.

After the Bulldogs led 2-0, La Grande went on a 12-4 run and spurred a Baker timeout.

The Bulldogs scored three straight to get within 12-9, but the Tigers responded with their best stretch of the night, scoring nine of the next 10 points to take control at 21-10.

“We made too many errors after taking the second set, and when you drop the third set 25-11, that’s rough,” Abrego said. “But we came back in the fourth set to finish strong.”

That set was close most of the way, with ties at 4 and 6.

Baker led by as many as three points, the last time at 13-10, before the Tigers scored seven straight.

After a Baker timeout the Bulldogs scored two straight to get within 17-15.

La Grande responded with three straight points and Baker couldn’t muster another rally.

Baker had several players return after missing the North Marion tournament and the Pendleton match.

“We utilized a ton of girls tonight and showed improvement from the night before,” Abrego said. “There were some long rallies and the coverage was great.”

At Pendleton

Just two days after the Buckaroos eliminated Baker from the North Marion tournament in dominant fashion, 25-7, 25-16, the Bulldogs had a rematch to open league play.

Pendleton took control from the start, just as it did at North Marion.

The Buckaroos scored the first seven points of the first set, a streak broken by Kathryn Gentry’s kill.

But Baker struggled to control Pendleton’s powerful offense, and the Buckaroos rolled to a 25-8 win in the first set.

The second set followed a similar script, as Pendleton led 6-0. Baker scored three straight points, its best stretch of the match, to get within 16-7, but the Buckaroos went on to win 25-14.

Baker scored the first point of the third set and kept it close early, trailing just 6-5 and rallying to get as close as 15-11 midway through the set.

The Buckaroos closed with a 10-4 run to complete the sweep, 25-15.

“It is a growing year for us,” Abrego said. “After experiencing a graduating class like we had last year, that’s expected. Growth is uncomfortable in many ways, but that is what makes it wonderful. We are learning to be mentally strong and play intentional. Winning is great, but Baker volleyball is about more than that. We have a great group of girls who are so fun to be around. I’m very fortunate to get to know them and work with them.”

Baker’s string of road trips continues, as the Bulldogs travel to Ontario on Thursday, Sept. 28 for a 5:30 p.m. PDT league match against the Tigers, who are 1-10 overall and 0-2 in the GOL after being swept by Pendleton on Tuesday.

Baker’s fifth straight road match is set for Oct. 4 at Nyssa. The Bulldogs then return to the Baker gym for the first time in almost a month, playing host to Pendleton on Oct. 5 at 6:30 p.m.

Baker’s JV volleyball team lost in four sets at Pendleton on Monday, Sept. 25, 25-23, 25-22, 24-26, 25-18.

Baker’s JV2 team lost in two sets, 25-22, 25-20.

The Baker JV team beat La Grande on Tuesday, 18-25, 25-16, 15-9.

The Baker JV2 team lost to La Grande, 26-24, 25-23.

Powder Valley improved to 17-4 and 6-0 in the Old Oregon League by sweeping Cove on Tuesday, Sept. 26 at North Powder. The Badgers, ranked third in Class 1A, won 25-9, 25-19, 25-15. Powder, which has won eight straight, travels to Halfway on Thursday, Sept. 28 for a 7 p.m. match against Pine Eagle (3-6 overall, 0-4 Old Oregon League).

The Baker girls soccer team fell to 4-5 on the season after a 3-0 loss at Homedale, Idaho, on Monday, Sept. 25.

The Bulldogs return to league play, traveling to Pendleton on Thursday, Sept. 28 for a 4 p.m. match against Pendleton/Weston-McEwen. Baker returns home on Oct. 5 for a 5:30 p.m. league match against Ontario at the Sports Complex.