Set 2: The Cougars Find Their Footing

Mountain View came out with more fight in the second set, and Bend’s libero once again made the difference early. Kailyn Cooper served four straight points, and Bend built a 9-3 lead that forced another Mountain View timeout.

This time the Cougars answered. Senior Liv Brandow put together a serving run, and Mountain View started trading points with the Lava Bears. The Cougars reached 16, their best set of the night, and showed the home crowd some of the energy it had come to see.

Bend kept its composure. Sophomore setter Lucy O’Connell came up big late, earning a sideout at 24 and then serving the final point to close the set 25-16.

Set 3: O’Connell Takes Over

Bend changed its look in the third set. Junior Harper Kernen started, while Mountain View put sophomore June Gant into its starting rotation. Mountain View hung around early and was within striking distance at 12-8.

Then O’Connell stepped back to the line. The Lava Bears won five straight points on her serve. Utu called timeout with Bend leading by double digits, but O’Connell’s run kept going and pushed the lead to 18-8.

Mountain View kept battling, but Bend put together one more push late. The Cougars called their final timeout facing set point, and Bend closed out the sweep with a sideout for the 25th point.

Both Coaching Staffs Kept Players Engaged

That last number says a lot. Bend never needed to stop the match.

Players to Watch

For Bend, Fobi set the tone and O’Connell ran the offense and delivered the biggest service run of the night. Kailyn Cooper was a weapon in two ways, steady in the back row and dangerous at the service line. Sophomore middle Riley Isfeld also had multi-point service runs in the first and third sets.

For Mountain View, senior libero Cleo Jenkins handled the back row against one of the toughest serving teams in the state. Brandow’s second-set run was the Cougars’ best stretch of the night. Senior captain Charlotte Quinn, junior middle Alivia Bryan and senior Alexis Johnston will need to lead a quick turnaround.

What’s Next

The loss is Mountain View’s third straight and drops the Cougars to 9-9. They have a quick turnaround, playing at Ridgeview on Wednesday, October 14. Mountain View then hosts Redmond on October 19, plays at Caldera on October 21, and closes the regular season at home against Summit on October 26.

Bend has now beaten Mountain View three times this season without dropping a set in league play. The Lava Bears, 19-3, host Redmond on Wednesday, October 14, at Caldera High. They then play two matches on October 17, against Thurston and at Sprague, before hosting Summit on October 19, a matchup that could decide the league title.

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