THE DALLES - The Dalles High Riverhawks (6-0 league, 13-5 overall) remained undefeated in OSAA Class 4A Tri-Valley Conference volleyball and extended their overall win streak to six after winning two home games last week.
The No. 8-ranked state playoff bound Riverhawks won 3-0 over Gladstone on Oct. 13 and Oct. 16 on senior night over the No. 10-ranked Estacada High Rangers.
In the matchup versus Estacada, sophomore Jazzy Morris-Holmes (12 kills, six digs), Cleo Corbin (seven kills, block), Caitlynn Gatton (11 assists), Eveleyn Rogers (four kills) and Taylor Tuia (13 assists, four aces) helped lead the Riverhawks to the victory.
The Riverhawks, guided by third-year Coach Teresa Morris, competed in the Marshfield Invitational Tournament Oct. 18 at Marshfield High School on the Southern Oregon Coast. In bracket play, they won 2-1 over the Class 3A Coquille High Red Devils (12-6) and they lost 2-1 to the No. 5-ranked defending state champion Marshfield High Pirates (9-8).
The Riverhawks played three two-set pool play matches and they got a split of games versus the Class 5A North Eugene High Highlanders (5-9) and the North Bend High Bulldogs (3-12). They also won 2-0 over a California team that traveled to the tournament in Marshfield.
“We got a set win against Marshfield, but then we just kind of fell apart a little bit later in the match,” said Morris. “We definitely know that they are beatable and we might be facing them again in the state playoffs, so it was good to play a match against them. Overall, we did pretty well in the tournament.”
The Riverhawks play their regular season finale Oct. 23 on the road versus the Molalla High Indians (2-5 TVC, 5-10 overall). The Riverhawks also won the league championship in 2022 and are seeking to reach the state tourney for a fourth consecutive season.
Morris said: “I’m really proud of the team for what they’ve accomplished this year and they’re just a really fun group of girls to work with.”
The 16-team playoffs begin Nov. 1 with first round contests. The TVC champion will host a first-round matchup. The tourney quarterfinals are Nov. 7-8 at North Bend High School on the Southern Oregon Coast.
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