Eagles, Bruins, Rangers win in VB

THE GORGE — Hood River Valley swept its girls volleyball matches this past week, topping Parkrose and Milwaukie in straight sets to improved to 3-2 in Northwest Oregon Conference play.

HRV (5-7 overall) set the tone for its week’s matches against Parkrose (1-7), winning 25-14, 25-11, 25-11. The Eagles received contributions from throughout their lineup, taking control of the first set after it was knotted 6-6.

Tia Britt hit two service aces, sandwiched around an Eleanor Buser stuff block for a point, as HRV started to pull away in the opening set. In set No. 2, an Amelia Gabriel kill shot, and Addi Van Metre dink for a point were part of a 7-1 Eagle scoring spurt.

HRV’s 14th point in the second set was a team effort. Emma Malley served and Lylah Hunter dug out a strong spike by Parkrose’s outside hitter Seane Tatafu. Lyla Mall set the ball for Cori Koscina, who put it away for a 14-5 advantage for the home team.

A third set highlight was a 7-0 scoring burst with Gabriel serving to push the HRV lead to 20-6. Taylor Duckwall’s service ace later pushed the lead to 22-9.

Hood River beat winless Milwaukie, 25-20, 25-8, 25-12, last week.

Columbia High School

Columbia High School’s volleyball team snapped a two-match losing streak with a 3-2 win Sept. 26 at Castle Rock. The Bruins (5-3 overall, 2-3 WIAA Class 1A Trico League) had lost twice earlier in the week — at King’s Way Christian and vs. Kalama.

Castle Rock won the first set, 26-24, and the Rockets were coming from behind in the second before Joella Posini blasted a winner to the left corner giving Columbia a 20-13 lead enroute to a 25-18 win. The teams traded the next two sets, with Castle Rock winning the third, 25-23, and Columbia taking the fourth, 25-21.

That set up the decisive fourth set to 15. Columbia broke out to leads of 6-1 and 10-4 before winning 15-6.

1A Big Sky League

Top ranked Dufur and No. 3 Sherman County continue to set the pace in Class 1A Big Sky League volleyball after each team won twice in conference play. Dufur (12-2 overall, 6-2 Big Sky) also played at the Tiger Classic at Ridgeview High, where the Rangers avenged an earlier loss this fall to second-ranked Central Christian. Dufur plays at Imbler, the top-ranked Class 2A team, on Oct. 2.

Sherman County improved to 7-1 in league and 14-1 overall with league wins over Wheeler County and Condon, and nonleague wins at the Tiger Classic over Lakeview and Umpqua Valley Christian.

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