SPORTS
8A — THE OBSERVER
SOCCER
Continued from Page 7A
it became apparent that
that could be the case,” head
coach Sam Brown said.
“(Having) multiple scorers is
always good.”
The Tigers, much like they
did in their win over Pend-
leton in the season opener,
controlled the tempo and fl ow
of the game from the get-go
against a team that it had
both a speed and skill advan-
tage over. Rinker scored her
fi rst goal just 85 seconds into
the match to set the tone, and
added her second in the 13th
minute. Garlitz scored in both
the 17th and 25th minutes,
with the second goal pushing
the margin to 6-0. Rosie Agu-
ilera (seventh minute), Katie
Perry (10th) and Starra Ull-
man (30th) also scored during
the fi rst-half onslaught,
which saw the Tigers own a
23-1 shot advantage.
Brown said the team’s pri-
mary focus entering Thurs-
day was one-touch passing
— passing it immediately
after making a touch on a
received ball.
“It forced us to have to
VOLLEYBALL
Continued from Page 7A
on us a lot and scored some
points on us so we talked
about making that adjust-
ment and not allowing them
to do that.”
Nyssa really didn’t have an
opportunity to do much that
it wanted. The Tigers used
a 15-0 run — with Jaiden
Hafer on the service line — to
break open the fi rst set and
set the tone for the evening.
“She served tough in that
fi rst game. She got us off to a
huge start,” Becker-Bisenius
said of Hafer. “She doesn’t
serve that often in the game
so I’ve been trying to get her
to do that more.”
The Tigers kept putting
streaks together throughout
the match, no matter who
was on the court. An 8-0 run
during the second set — one
during which Jayce Seavert
had three kills and teamed
with Anna Green on a block
— built a 10-2 lead. The mar-
gin reached as much as 11 in
the second set, which Renna
PARTY
Continued from Page 7A
Sade,” McLean-Morehead
said. “They made some huge
plays and those were big
momentum changers for us.
They did a great job.”
The trio had 13, 13 and 10
digs, respectively, each mak-
ing some highlight-reel plays.
“Everyone was making
good reads, and we were get-
ting crazy digs,” Bunn said.
“We had that never say die
attitude which was awesome.”
Taylor also commended
play of the back line.
“Our back row had a huge
night,” she said. “Kudos to
them.”
Taylor — perhaps fi ttingly
on her birthday — set the
tone for the night by teaming
with Bunn for a block on the
game’s fi rst point, then put-
ting down a kill on the next
point. It led to an opening set
that EOU never trailed in as
it fended off a late Yotes’ rally
to score the fi nal four points
and win the opening set.
Five straight points in the
second set — a run triggered
by three straight blocks that
Taylor was a part of — gave
EOU the lead for good. C of I
did pull as close as 16-15, but
four straight points by the
Mountaineers — including
two thunderous kills by the
birthday girl — put the set in
hand.
The teams jockeyed for con-
trol in the fi nal set until EOU
took command with a 6-0 run
midway through the set, then
put the match away with the
fi nal fi ve points. McMurtrey
had a pair of aces during the
match-sealing rally, including
the fi nal point to cap the night.
move certain ways that we
are not accustomed to mov-
ing,” he said. “It was good
for us to train ourselves that
way, to take advantage of an
opportunity to train.”
Garlitz said she was glad
Brown implemented that
aspect.
“I liked how Sam threw in
the one-touches so we could
improve our touch and get
better as a team,” she said.
Garlitz scored off a corner
kick in the 61st minute to
complete the hat trick, and
Perry added a second goal in
the 68th minute.
In the early stages of the
season, Garlitz, Rinker, Perry,
Ullman and Cecelia Aguilera
have each had multi-goal
games, with both Aguilera
and Garlitz posting hat tricks.
“It adds more confidence
knowing we have these players
(who can score),” Garlitz said.
The Bulldogs managed
two shots total on the after-
noon, both of which were on
goal, and both stopped by La
Grande goalkeeper Alexyss
Chamberlain.
The Tigers (2-1-0 overall)
return to the pitch Thursday
when they host Umatilla.
Martinez fi nished with a kill.
A 13-1 La Grande run to
open the third set put the
fi nal nail in the coffi n. Jacie
Howton started the streak
with an ace, and Presley
Justice ended it with one of
her own for the big lead. The
margin reached as much
as 23-4 on a block by Grace
Neer, and Josie Reagan
ended the match on a block.
“We just really forced
in practice this week...on
communication, playing as a
team and not playing down to
their level,” Neer said. “We re-
ally focused on our mistakes
from the last game against
Pendleton (last week).”
Seavert and Justice led the
offense with nine and fi ve
kills, respectively. Seavert
also had a team-best 12 digs.
Hafer fi nished with four aces,
and both Howton and Kenzie
Williams had three aces.
Howton also had 13 assists
and Williams added 11. Felic-
ity Houston added six digs.
The Tigers (6-1 overall)
play today at the Baker
Tournament.
The Mountaineers (13-1
overall, 3-1 Cascade Colle-
giate Conference) continue a
three-game homestand Sept.
20 when they host Evergreen
State College.
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2019
Imbler, Powder Valley volleyball win
Observer staff
Erin Coston had 10 kills, 15 digs and
four aces to lead a balanced attack as the
Imbler Panthers swept the Pine Eagle
Spartans Thursday, 25-15, 25-18, 25-9.
Aspen Smith added nine kills for the
Panthers. Anika McDonald anchored
the defense with 16 digs, while Joelle
Treat had 10, Rylee Deal had 31 as-
sists, and Allison Stirewalt had four
aces and three blocks.
Imbler (5-4 overall, 2-0 Old Oregon
League) is at the Powder Valley Tour-
nament today.
BADGERS SWEEP COUGARS
The Powder Valley Badgers opened
Old Oregon League action with a home
sweep of the Wallowa Cougars Thurs-
day, 25-19, 25-18, 25-17.
Stats were not available.
Powder Valley (9-1 overall, 1-0 OOL)
and Wallowa (4-2, 0-1) are back in ac-
tion today and Saturday at the Powder
Valley Tournament.
PREVIEW
Continued from Page 7A
“Some people might be surprised with
how fast she is,” Welch said of Coughlan.
“She could be one of our diamonds in the
rough that puts us over the top.”
The men’s team is also going
through a youth movement as the
Mountaineers will have just two
seniors running this fall in Alex
Navarro and Weyekin Wild Bill. The
Mountaineers return the bulk of their
team from last fall, including Hunter
Schiess, Travis Running and Robie
Swanson, all of whom ran on the team
that placed 19th at nationals. Braxton
Wilson and Brennen LeBel are also
among the returners.
“Personally, I’m hyped,” Schiess, a
junior, said. “A lot of people did their
summer training. We defi nitely have
a younger team, but they’re fi t. They
were studs in high school, so I think
they will fi t in well over here.”
Eastern gets an experienced runner
back in Navarro, who redshirted last
fall but has two national meets under
his belt, including being EOU’s No. 2
runner when the team placed seventh
two years ago.
“He looks very, very good,” Welch
said of Navarro. “We look to him to
lead that group.”
Like Herbes on the women’s side, the
EOU men who competed at nationals
gained a lot of experience from the trip.
“Hunter Schiess actually ran well
at nationals,” Welch said. “Travis
Running as a freshman last year was
surprised he was at nationals, and on a
Ronald Bond/The Observer
Members of the Eastern Oregon men’s cross country team take off on a
warm-up run Thursday morning.
course that ran slow ran his best race
of the year.”
Schiess described the men’s team as
grinders and runners who will put in
hard work.
“That’s just how we’ve always been. It
takes us a while to fi gure out our style
of running, especially moving up to the
8K. A lot of us come from 5K (in HS),” he
said. “We’ll see how the young guys pick
up. They’ve been grinding with us in the
workouts. They’re doing well.”
The Mountaineers’ top newcomer to
the program may be freshman Hunter
Nichols of Heppner, who Welch speaks
highly of.
“He’s smart, he gets a lot of things,
and he’s patient,” Welch said.
The longtime coach is hopeful that
the men’s team can again be in the
CORRECTION
On page 7A of the Aug. 30 edition
of The Observer, the article
‘Eastern men’s harriers open
18th’ incorrectly stated the EOU
men’s highest ranking since 1999.
Eastern did reach No. 1 in the
nation during the 2002 season.
top 20 nationally should it make the
national meet, and his optimistic about
the women’s chances of breaking into
the top 25 at nationals for the fi rst
time since taking 13th in 2012.
The Mountaineers’ home meet is to-
day, at Lane Farms east of La Grande
at 5:45 p.m.
The CCC championships are Nov. 8
in Cottage Grove.
Time for a fall clean up?
What you should know about the disposal of household hazardous waste.
What is household hazardous
waste?
HHW is anything labeled toxic, flammable, corro-
sive, reactive or explosive. These materials can
threaten family health and the safety of pets and
wildlife.
What are some examples of
hazardous waste?
Aerosols, Bleach, Drain Cleaners, Metal Polish,
Mothballs, Oven Cleaners, Toilet Bowl Cleaners,
Ammonia-based Cleaners, Mercury
Thermometers, Wood Polishes, Waxes,
Fertilizers, Insecticides, Herbicides, Rodenticides,
Spa and Pool Chemicals, Roofing Compounds,
Antifreeze, Batteries, Motor Oil, Paint Strippers
and Thinners, Gasoline and more.
Where can I safely dispose of my
hazardous waste?
La Grande Facility: Open to any resident of the
three counties every other Tuesday, 8am-12 noon.
By appointment, however, small labeled quanti-
ties accepted daily. (541) 963-5459.
Baker City Facility: Open the first Wednesday of
each month, 10am-12 noon. By appointment only.
(541) 523-2626.
Enterprise Facility: Open the 1st and 3rd
Wednesday of each month 10am-12 noon. By
appointment only. (541) 426-3332.
Americans generate
1.6 million tons of
HHW per year!
The average home can
accumulate as much as
100 pounds of hazardous waste.
I got screened.
Now, I’m talking about it.
Screening can prevent colorectal cancer
or catch the #2 cancer killer early when
it’s highly treatable. Most people get
screened because they’re encouraged
by someone they know and trust. So
if you’ve been screened, please talk
about your experience. And encourage
others to get screened too.
COLORECTAL CANCER
The cancer you can prevent.
TheCancerYouCanPrevent.org
Karen King
Pendleton, Oregon
A Centers for Disease Control and Prevention-funded campaign