PREVIEWS
Cottage Grove Lions (9-6, #9)
■ Setting up: The Lions welcome the Marshfield Pirates to their home court tonight. This is the Lions’ third-to-last game of the season. Look for the Grove’s senior setter Bailee Fournier, junior outside hitter Mariah Bailey and junior second outside hitter Taylor Bennett.
Creswell Bulldogs (12-8, #11)
■ Setting up: The Bulldogs host their last scheduled game of the season tonight. They’ll have to gather their points through Vika Gabrio, Piper Hanson, and Teighlor Nunez.
Pleasant Hill Billies (22-0, #1)
■ Setting up: The Billies wrap up the last scheduled games of their undefeated season this week and begin to gear up for the playoffs. Tonight they’ll face the La Pine Hawks, who they already dominated earlier in the season 3-0. Keep your sights on Ruby Jackson, a senior middle, who continues to have standout stats and performances in the series of games.
Springfield Millers (5-12, #18)
■ Setting up: The Millers hit the road to Eagle Point tonight. Earlier in the season, the Millers edged the Eagles 3-2. This tight match-up will be vital if the Millers want to gain some end-season wins. They’ll rely on senior middle Julissa Henderson and Sofia Yow.
Thurston Colts (3-10, #23)
■ Setting up: The Colts rematch the Churchill Lancers, who they won one set against earlier in the season when they lost 3-1. The Colts have continually improved this season and it might be a tighter game than the Lancers anticipate.
RECAPS
■ Cottage Grove lost 3-0 to North Eugene last Thursday. Bailee Fournier had 3 kills and 5 assists; Mariah Bailey had 4 kills and 10 digs.
■ Creswell hosted Sisters last Thursday and grabbed the win 3-2 with scores of 25-22, 25-22, 19-25, 20-15, & 15-13. Leaders for Bulldogs were Piper Hanson with 22 kills, 21 digs, and 2 blocks; Marley Query with 6 aces, 5 kills and 2 blocks; Teighlor Nunez with 43 assists,10 digs, 1 block and 2 aces; Anna Davis with 10 kills, & 8 digs; Vika Gabrio with 8 kills, 18 digs, & 3 aces.
■Pleasant Hill beat Harrisburg last Thursday 3-0. Leaders for the Billies were senior middle Ruby Jackson with 12 kills, 2 aces, and 6 digs; senior libero Emily Krauss with 16 digs; senior Claire Crawford with 7 kills, 24 assists, and 7 digs; senior Cheyenne Green with 9 kills and 3 aces. Head coach Jessica Crawford says, “You will notice Ruby, a senior middle, had great stats. Ruby has had amazing matches in the last few weeks. Ruby’s efficiency and versatility have been amazing and she’s a key player to our leadership and positive flow on the court.”
■ Thurston battled Eage Point and won 3-1 last Thursday.