CRESWELL – Students mimicked barking and made sheep sounds that echoed in the Creswell gym last Thursday night. The Creswell student section rocked the stands with chants while coated in camo, and parents roared in applause for every point.
These were the sounds of the annual familial rivalry: Creswell and Pleasant Hill volleyball.
The No.1 Pleasant Hill Billies handled No.12 Creswell 3-0 in their season’s first meeting, 5-13, 25-19, and 25-13.
Billies coach Jessica Crawford emphasized that when it comes to rivalry games or fierce opponents, their focus is less on the individual opponent and more on refining the team’s harmony.
“Yes, we’re aware of our opponents and adapt to them,” Crawford said. “And at the same time, many of our games are team-focused. A lot of what we do is improving, polishing, and improving things that we’re doing on our side and making sure that we’re keeping our flow.”
Pleasant Hill started the match with its piercing kills, providing a 9-1 run. At first, the Bulldogs gained points through the Billies’ mistakes, such as a ball bouncing off a Pleasant Hill player and an attempted kill that bounced off the net.
Creswell students fill the stands wearing camo in support of the volleyball team. McKENZIE DAYS / CHRONICLE PHOTO
“We had some uncharacteristic forced errors and communication issues that aren’t typical for us. We can improve. And that’s always the goal,” Crawford said.
The Bulldogs provided plenty of challenges. Each time the match appeared to be a blowout, the Bulldogs would grab momentum. After the Billies’ 9-2 run, the Bulldogs recorded 6 straight points, closing the gap. In the second set, the Bulldogs took an initial lead, resulting in both teams making six-point runs. In the third set, when the Billies attempted to seal the deal at game point 24-10, the Bulldogs went on a three-point run before Pleasant Hill won.
Bulldogs coach Anna Baltrusch attributes this pattern to the Bulldogs’ love of the game and affinity for volleyball.
“They just want to play every ball because they love playing volleyball,” Baltrusch said. “It doesn’t matter what the score is. They just want to play. They want to play every play the best they can play. I appreciate that about this whole group.”
Creswell’s sophomore outside hitter, Piper Hanson, is preparing to strike a kill on September 26.
McKENZIE DAYS / CHRONICLE PHOTO
Baltrusch also noted the team’s youth and inexperience. They are still refining their ability to compete consistently. Baltrusch emphasized that a match like this proves they have the ability, that these mistakes are learning opportunities, and the team is improving with each game.
“My kids play really well,” Baltrusch said. “But you can see that they’re young, and they make a lot of mistakes and a lot of unforced mistakes. We still have three weeks left in the season, and they’ll get better and better.”
While both teams are on different paths (Pleasant Hill at 16-0 and Creswell at 7-7), both coaches feel confident in their development at mid-season and affirm that their rematch later this month will be even more competitive. While Crawford will focus on “polishing” and “refining” the formidable strength of her seasoned team, Baltrusch will continue to foster her team’s growing talent.
“Pleasant Hill is really good this year, but their top four kids are seniors,” Baltrusch said, looking ahead. “I’m only losing one senior from this year.”
