In its first two matches of the season, Hood River Valley High School’s varsity volleyball team hosted Pendleton on Tuesday and Lakeridge Thursday evenings. Both matches ended in similar fashion, and although the Eagles lost 1-3 in both, the early-season competition was a good measure of the team’s strengths and weaknesses in time to make adjustments for the bulk of the season.

“We’re the tallest and most athletic team since I’ve been coaching,” seventh-year head coach Scott Walker said. “But we’re a little inexperienced, particularly at passing. We’ve got some great athletes, but some haven’t played a lot of volleyball so they’re still learning.”