BAKER VOLLEYBALL: Bulldogs fall to Vandals at McCall

Oct. 9—McCALL, Idaho — Baker's volleyball team battled, but the Bulldogs' rally wasn't quite enough against a determined McCall-Donnelly squad on Saturday, Oct. 8.

After the Vandals won the first two sets, Baker responded by taking the third set.

But McCall-Donnelly rallied from an early deficit to win the fourth set and the match, 26-24, 25-17, 20-25, 25-22.

The nonleague loss snapped Baker's four-match winning streak.

But Baker coach Ali Abrego said the defeat, which has no effect on Baker's bid for a Greater Oregon League title and a home match in the first round of the Class 4A playoffs, can serve as an important lesson for the Bulldogs.

"There's a lot to be learned in games like this, as frustrating as it is to lose," Abrego said. "If we make it to the final site (for the Class 4A state tournament) we're going to have to deal with unfamiliar gyms and a different atmosphere. It's really easy to let that influence how you play, but we did a really good job adjusting."

The Bulldogs had more than one thing to adjust to.

The McCall-Donnelly gym has lower ceilings than the Baker gym and most others the Bulldogs play in, and several passes that would have been in good position for a set instead caromed off the ceiling at angles that are hard to react to.

The Vandals' student section was loud, too — just as it was in August 2021 when McCall-Donnelly swept the visiting Bulldogs.

"There are always things that we can't control," Abrego said. "We did a lot of things right. We covered well, we swung well. After losing the first two sets it's hard to come back and win the third set. I can't be disappointed with that kind of effort."

It wasn't the only time Baker rallied.

McCall led for almost the entire first set, but after the Vandals went ahead 14-11, Baker came back to forge ties at 18, 19 and 21.

The Bulldogs then took their first lead at 22-21 on a Vandal attack error. Baker led 23-21 but McCall-Donnelly tied it at 23.

A kill by Baker senior Jozie Ramos gave the Bulldogs a set point at 24-23, but the Vandals scored the final three points. The set winner was on a Ramos kill attempt that went long, although Abrego and Baker's bench argued that a Vandal blocker tipped the ball at the net.

The second set was a different matter, as McCall-Donnelly never trailed.

Baker senior Taylor Dalton's hard serves briefly got Baker to within 7-5, but the Vandals dominated thereafter.

Baker took control early in the third set, leading 12-5, but the Vandals rallied to tie the score at 19 and 20.

The Bulldogs closed out the set to force a fourth.

Baker led 4-1 in the fourth set but the Vandals went on a run to lead 13-8 and prompt Abrego to call timeout. Baker rallied to within 20-17, forcing a McCall timeout, and the Bulldogs got as close as two points, at 20-18 and 22-20, but the Vandals were fortunate when a serve at 23-20 clipped the net and dropped straight down on the Baker side of the court for match point. Baker scored two straight but couldn't finish the rally.

Baker dropped to 13-4 on the season. Three of those four losses were to Idaho teams — Fruitland, Cole Valley and McCall-Donnelly. Baker's only loss to an Oregon team was a 2-0 defeat against Powder Valley during a tournament at BHS on Sept. 2.

Baker avenged that loss with a 3-2 win over the Badgers on Sept. 8. The two teams will play the rubber match Friday, Oct. 14 at North Powder.

First, though, Baker returns to Greater Oregon League play against Pendleton on Thursday, Oct. 13 at 6:30 p.m. in the Baker gym. Baker, 4-0 in league play, can clinch the league title with a win over the Buckaroos.

In the other matches at McCall, the Baker JV lost in three sets, 26-24, 23-25, 15-12.

The Baker JV2 team beat the Vandals in three sets, 25-18, 7-25, 15-11.