BAKER VOLLEYBALL: Bulldogs clinch 2nd straight GOL title

Oct. 14—Even if you didn't know the list of goals the Baker volleyball team had set for itself, if you were in the Baker gym Thursday night, Oct. 13, you likely would have recognized that the Bulldogs had achieved at least one.

The decibel level was a pretty compelling clue.

As the Bulldogs gathered on the court after sweeping Pendleton, the chants and cheers rose to a crescendo.

But as Baker celebrated clinching its second straight Greater Oregon League championship, the Bulldogs were thinking of other, loftier goals looming ahead.

"On the first day of practice we talked about goals, and a league championship was on there," Baker coach Ali Abrego said after Baker trounced the Buckaroos, 25-8, 25-21, 25-14. "Checking that box feels pretty good. Winning it because you deserve it is even better. The girls had to earn it."

Baker did so with its second sweep this year of Pendleton, which joined the GOL this season, replacing Mac-Hi.

Changes in the league roster haven't bothered Baker.

Thursday's win, which improved Baker's league record to 5-0 (14-4 overall) was the Bulldogs' 11th straight GOL victory.

Baker was 6-0 last season. The Bulldogs, who are ranked third in the state at the Class 4A level, haven't lost a GOL match since a 3-2 loss at La Grande in March 2021, during a season moved from fall to spring due to the pandemic.

Since then the Bulldogs have dominated the GOL. No league opponent has won more than one set against Baker in the past two years.

The Bulldogs' sweep of Pendleton Thursday was typical of Baker's recent league matches.

Baker was in control throughout.

The Bulldogs went ahead 8-3 in the first set on senior Jozie Ramos' kill.

Fellow senior Makenzie Flanagan, a lefthander, had a kill that went nearly parallel with the net to kick off a 9-1 Baker run that gave the Bulldogs a commanding 17-6 lead. Ramos had a big block late in the set as Baker rolled to a 25-8 win.

Pendleton led 2-0 in the second set but Baker quickly gained the lead, going up 9-6 on senior Campbell Vanderwiele's kill.

With sophomore Jayden Whitford serving, Baker boosted its lead to 12-7, prompting a Pendleton timeout.

The Buckaroos scored two straight points but Baker then went on another run thanks in part to senior Taylor Dalton's hard serves. At 17-11 Baker appeared poised to finish out the set.

But Pendleton didn't waver.

The Buckaroos scored five straight points to close to within 20-19.

Vanderwiele's kill made it 21-19, but Pendleton scored to again close the gap to a single point.

But the Bucks had an attack error and serve receive error, helping Baker take the second set 25-21.

The third set was close early, with Pendleton leading 7-5 and 9-8.

Baker regained the lead at 10-9 on Taylor Dalton's serve, and the Bulldogs extended the run to lead 16-11.

After a Pendleton timeout the Bucks scored two straight, but Baker responded by scoring nine of the final 10 points to close out of the match and set off the raucous celebration.

Ramos, the reigning GOL player of the year who is a good bet to repeat that honor, said it was satisfying to play well after a 3-1 loss in the Bulldogs' most recent match, at McCall, Idaho, on Oct. 8.

"Tough games make us better," Ramos said. "We came back today and played well."

But like her coach, Ramos said winning the league title is just the first step for the Bulldogs.

Higher on the list of goals is advancing to the final eight teams in the Class 4A ranks and play for a state title Nov. 4-5 at Springfield High School.

Ramos said she is excited about the possibility of capping her high school career by vying for a trophy.

Baker can complete its second straight perfect GOL season when it plays host to Ontario on Tuesday, Oct. 18 at 6:30 p.m. Baker swept the Tigers Sept. 29 at Ontario.

Baker wraps up its regular season on Oct. 19 against Burns at Grant Union High School.

The Bulldogs then will wait to find out who they will play in the Baker gym in a first-round playoff match, probably on Oct. 29.

Baker swept all three matches on Thursday against Pendleton.

The JV team won in four sets, 21-25, 25-11, 25-20, 25-21.

Baker's JV2 team won both sets, 25-19, 25-11.