Badgers sweep past Bobcats

Published 10:24 am Friday, September 13, 2019

Powder Valley's Keanna Bingham attempts a kill during Tuesday's match in Union. (Ronald Bond, The Observer).

This story has been updated.

Brooke Allen said she felt like the Powder Valley Badgers didn’t play to their full potential Tuesday night.

It was still a good enough effort to earn a sweep.

Allen had 16 assists, seven digs and five kills as part of a balanced attack as Powder Valley swept the the Union Bobcats, 25-19, 25-17, 25-22, in a nonleague contest Tuesday in Union.

“We didn’t have a lot of energy, and we had (our first day of) school today,” Allen said. “We had 10 games last week, so we’re still tired from that.”

Powder Valley head coach Marji Lind agreed that the team was “still sluggish” after the long weekend — having played matches Thursday and Friday in Molalla and Saturday in La Grande — but said the Badgers found a way.

“They came out and did their jobs. It may not have been flashy or the way they wanted it to click, but they got it done,” she said.

The Badgers were rarely threatened Tuesday, using a 6-0 run and later a 5-0 run to take the first set and building double-digit leads in both the second and third sets. A kill by Josi Krieger in the second gave the Badgers a 23-13 lead before Keanna Bingham finished it with a kill. Another kill by Bingham put the Badgers ahead by an identical 23-13 score in the third as they appeared set to finish the match.

But the Bobcats rallied. Taylar Daggett started a 9-0 run with a kill. Ahnica Shoemaker had consecutive blocks — teaming with Autumn Daggett on one — to bring Union within 23-20, and an ace by Kylie Marriott and another Autumn Daggett kill made it a one-point game.

Powder Valley’s Belle Blair, who had 10 kills, ended the rally with a kill, and the Badgers finished the match on the next point.

Union head coach Karly Knapp, in addition to saying the team was “a little off,” said the Bobcats were lacking some confidence after having played — and losing to — Powder Valley on Saturday.

“Going in kind of blind Saturday was a little different, and then coming in tonight knowing we got beat, regardless of the score, still doesn’t feel that good, so I think the girls coming in were not as confident as they should be,” Knapp said.

The team had a heightened sense of urgency which sparked the late rally, which Knapp attributed to them realizing the match was on the verge of being over.

“In the end they realized they have the ability to play a tight game with North Powder,” she said.

Bobcats’ setter Callie Glenn added the team hadn’t quite mentally prepared for the match

“We weren’t mentally ready for being at our first home game,” she said, adding the crowd gave the team a boost late. “We got a bigger crowd than we expected, and that helped at the end.”

Union briefly led in the first set, 7-5, after three straight kills by Autumn Daggett, who had 10 to lead the Bobcats. Allen gave the Badgers the lead for good with a kill for an 8-7 edge midway through the first big Badger run in the set, then capped the 6-0 spurt with an ace. Krieger had a kill to make it 20-12, and Union got no closer than four points before Allen put the set away with a kill.

Blair had three early kills during a 6-2 run to open the second set. The lead reached seven after another Blair kill and a block by Autumn Davis, and maxed out at 10 on Krieger’s kill.

An even third set was broken open by an 8-0 run that Krieger started with a kill and Davis ended with a block. Another Krieger kill and three Union errors put the Badgers up 22-11 in the third before Union began its last-ditch effort to get back in the match.

Bingham had 11 kills to lead the Badgers, and also had 15 assists. McKenzie Leggett had 12 digs, Krieger had 10 and Bailey Cole added nine. Davis added six kills and four blocks.

“They all can run multiple jobs, and the nice part about it is they’re really intelligent players as well,” Lind said.

Allen attributed that aspect of having players who can perform multiple roles to the team’s continuity.

“We don’t have very many spots that are not solid,” she said.

Marriott added eight kills for the Bobcats. Brianna Kohr led the defensive back line with 20 digs, and Glenn had 17 assists. Shoemaker added four kills and chipped in with three blocks.

The Badgers (7-1 overall) visit Weston-McEwen Thursday, while the Bobcats (1-2) host Pine Eagle Friday.

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