Banks beats Baker spikers

Baker, the undefeated Greater Oregon League champion, saw its season end as the Braves defeated the Bulldogs 19-25, 25-21, 25-22, 20-25, 15-7.

“Banks played tough,” said Baker coach Michele McCauley.

“We had only one other match this season that had that kind of intensity. I can’t help but wonder if we’d had more matches like that this year it might have been different.”

McCauley said the Bulldogs played well physically, but Banks played a better mental game.

“Not having many matches of this kind, I don’t think the girls played well mentally today,” McCauley said. “To be able to handle that kind of pressure mentally was huge for us today.

“I’m not unhappy with how we played today. We just didn’t handle it mentally well,” McCauley said.

Baker rode the net play of Tori Brown, Kylie Kitzmiller, Tiffany Burk and Whitney Phillips to the first-game win.

The Bulldogs actually led 21-20 in Game 2 before Banks rallied with the final five points.

Game 3 was knotted at 20-20 before Banks again pulled away.

Baker led most of Game 4 before Banks rallied to pull within 20-19. Three Brown kills then helped put the game away for Baker.

Baker trailed just 7-5 in the deciding fifth game before Banks’ Chelsie Bunn served six straight points for a 13-5 edge.

Brown finished 25-of-30 hitting with 12 kills and 10 blocks. Phillips was 16-of-17 serving, 23-of-27 hitting with eight kills and had 18 assists.

Emily Smith was 17-of-18 serving and 17-of-21 digging. Burk was 14-of-17 hitting with five kills. Kitzmiller finished 33-of-34 serving, and 18-of-27 hitting with six kills.

Annie Martin was 20-of-24 hitting with four kills. Aly Ogan was 16-of-20 hitting with four kills. Becca Joseph was 11-of-11 serving and 26-of-32 digging.

Darryn McCauley finished 20-for-20 serving, 23-of-27 passing and 18-of-23 digging. Kelsey Cole was 52-of-59 setting with 13 assists.

“What a fun, hard working group of girls to coach,” McCauley said. “We have had a great run, we just didn’t play our most consistent day of volleyball and fell short. It’s unfortunate we aren’t moving on, but this is also part of what athletics are about.”