Vikings muzzle Bulldogs
Weakened Vale shuts down Nyssa Thursday
By JESSICA KELLER
ARGUS OBSERVER
Friday, October 16, 2009 11:42 AM PDT
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| Vale’s Shelby Mooney gains air during a kill as teammates look on in the Vikings’ Eastern Oregon League match against the Nyssa Bulldogs Thursday in Nyssa. Vale won, 3-1. |
NYSSA — The Vale Viking volleyball team hasn’t been playing at full strength for a week yet, but it was more than enough to close down the Nyssa Bulldogs, 3-1, in Eastern Oregon League action Thursday night in Nyssa.
Vale coach MaryAnn Standage said, for about a month now, her team has suffered from various illnesses, putting each girl out of commission for some time. She said Thursday’s game was just the second in which she had all her team members back, and they are still not at full strength.
Nevertheless, with the help of some players off the bench and a full line-up, the Vikings pulled off the match, improving their record to 4-2 in the EOL and 13-8 overall.
“We’re fortunate in the victory with as much as Nyssa has improved,” Standage said.
The Lady Bulldogs, who proved very scrappy throughout the evening, did not begin that way, instead coming out unprepared for the match’s first game in which they lost 25-8.
During the game, Nyssa coach Stacey Garrett admonished them for their sluggishness, and while it didn’t change the result of the first game, it seemed to have its desired effect in the remaining three games.
“I think that made them mad, and they didn’t want to lose like that again,” Garrett said.
Nyssa came out stronger in the second game and, at one point, led 10-3 before Vale scored the next 11 points to take the lead at 14-10 following a string of successes at the service line and some Nyssa errors. Nyssa, however, fought back to tie things up at 21, before losing the game, 25-22.
Nyssa really shined, however, in the third game as the Vikings’ energy slowly ebbed.
Down 10-5, the Bulldogs capitalized on Viking errors and attacked the ball consistently, scoring 12 unanswered points and eventually pushing their lead to 24-11 and then 25-14 for the win.
“We just petered out,” Standage said of her team.
The Vikings were not done, however, and redeemed themselves, despite a mid-game push by Nyssa in game 4. Down at first, the Bulldogs pushed themselves up to a 15-14 deficit and then 17-16 lead before Vale regained control of the game.
Nyssa stalled toward the end after Standage shifted the defense to a single-player running block, effecting sealing the win at 25-19.
“That was just the turning point in that game,” Standage said.
Garrett said, however, it was Nyssa’s mistakes that ended things for the Bulldogs, but, with exception of the first game, she was very pleased with how her team played. She said the girls have begun to play smarter and run better, faster plays, which is encouraging.
“Vale had to work to win those tames, I felt,” Garrett said.
Shelby Mooney led the Viking offense with six kills, and Caitlyn Robbins and Amy Delong each put up four apiece. Brooke Hawkins dished up 18 assists for her teammates, and she and Nicole Rutten contributed 15 and 10 digs, respectively.
No stats were available for the Nyssa Bulldogs, who have a week before they hit the road to take on Grant Union Thursday. Vale takes on Burns at home, also on Thursday.
In other volleyball action:
Weiser 3, Payette 0
The Weiser Wolverines wrapped up their senior night and regular Snake River Valley Conference season by sweeping the Payette Pirates, 25-21, 25-20 and 25-15.
Cori Martin led Weiser’s offense with nine kills, while Liz Richins and Paige Jensen each brought down six. Angie Edwards handed out 10 assists, and Martin drew praise from Weiser coach Chris Courter for her defense and six digs.
“They just came to play, and we’re starting to peak right now in time for districts,” Courter said. With the win, Weiser ended its league season 6-2, 8-4 overall. The Wolverines will take on Payette again in the district tournament at 6 p.m. Tuesday at Fruitland High School. Homedale plays McCall to open the tournament at 4 p.m., and Fruitland plays the winner of that game at 8 p.m.
Jessica Keller is the Argus Observer news editor. E-mail her at JessicaK@argusobserver.com.
