Posted Monday October 20, 2008

HERMISTON - The number six Hermiston Bulldogs hosted the number two Pendleton Buckaroos in Intermountain volleyball action on Thursday. Hermiston challenged the higher ranked Bucks in the first set taking it to a 31-29 final. The Dawgs then slumped losing the next two sets 25-12 and 25-11.

The Dawgs came out gunning in the first set taking an early 4-1 lead. The Bucks, with consistant serving including a number of aces, was able to tie it up at 6-6 and extend the lead to 14-7. With some nice play by Amanda Bevington, Mary Shae Hays, Marie Pedro, and some impressive play by freshman Maloree Moss including a kill and a nice run of serve the Dawgs tied it up at 21-21 then again at 24-24, 25-25, 26-26, 28-28. Hannah Whitsett challenged the Bucks several times at this part of the set. The Bucks, took back the domination of play with the serving of Shelby Rinehart leading them to a 31-29 win.

Pendleton dominated the next game with strong runs of serve. Hermiston would battle and come up with a sideout only to give the serve right back to the Bucks. Hays, Crossley, Pedro and Bevington fought hard but Bucks worked the net and targeted their shots leaving the Dawgs out of position to react. The closet that Hermiston got was 15-12. At that point the Bucks, with the serving of Katrin Baar, shut down the Dawgs and went on a nine point run to finish the second set 25-12.

The third set had Hermiston tieing it up 1-1 early on. But that didn't last as Pendleton would string together long runs of serve. Hermiston would battle for a sideout and then Pendleton would win the next point to take serve back and run up four or five points on a possession. Pendleton controlled the pace and action of the third with them winning it 25-11.