HERMISTON – The Crook County volleyball team handed Hermiston a five-game match loss, 29-30, 25-15, 20-25, 25-12, 15-13 to send the host Bulldogs to defeat for the first time in three Intermountain Conference matches.

A slow start nearly cost Hermiston the first game of the match, but head coach Kay Edwards said they righted their ship in time for a one-point victory.

“Down the stretch … it was back-and-forth,” she said.

“The girls stayed focused right down to the wire.”

Hermiston took the lead, two games to one, with a win in the third game thanks in large part to a strong serving performance by junior Tasha Visina.

Hermiston was trailing 7-5 before Visina reeled off seven service points, including four aces. After falling in the second game, Edwards said Hermiston “came back (for the third game) ready and focused.”

With a win in the fourth game, Crook County forced a final game to 15 points. In that game, Hermiston got a bit lax and fell behind 13-8 before staving off a loss with a rally that tied the game at 14-14. That rally was aided by the serving of Lacey Mespelt, who served four Hermiston winners.

“The girls showed a lot of guts,” Edwards said. In the final point volley, Edwards said Hermiston played well, but Crook County found a way to get by the Hermiston defense.

“The final point was a scrappy, great effort. We were in good position and they put the ball down for the match point.”

Big leads by Crook County in the second and fourth games were too much for the Bulldogs to overcome.

Of the second game, Edwards said, “we made some errors and got way behind. It’s very difficult to battle back. Early mistakes were just too costly.”

Hermiston fell behind 15-4 before fighting to within three points at 16-13. “We were just down too far,” Edwards said.

Late adjustments could not overcome a flat-footed effort in the fourth game, according to Edwards. “They played very well and we didn’t.”

Edwards said senior Val Bertsch had a strong effort in the match, leading the team with 14 kills, 21 passes and two digs.

“Val had a great night. She played like an experienced senior, who left everything on the court.”

Briawna Mueller had eight kills and five blocks for Hermiston while Charlene Shirley added seven kills and two blocks.

Mountain View and Bend, like Crook County, play a lot of club volleyball in the summer, according to Edwards, and will be worthy opponents today for Hermiston.

“We will be ready to play,” Edwards said of the Bulldogs. “The girls understand that we need to play very intense and exciting volleyball from the beginning of a match to the end.”

The junior varsity Bend and Hermiston teams are slated to start at 11 a.m., with the varsity match to follow about 12:30 p.m. The Mountain view junior varsity match will begin at 4 p.m. with an expected start time of 5:30 for the varsity match.