JOHN DAY – Adrian picked the right time to play its best match of the season.

The Antelope volleyball team beat Crane 3-1 in the championship game of the High Desert League tournament Saturday, Oct. 25. The game gives them the No. 1 seed in the HDL and a bye in the first round of the Oregon School Activities Association playoffs.

The Mustangs beat Adrian twice during the season. They beat them 3-0 during their HDL meeting in Adrian Oct. 17 and again during the Crane tournament Oct. 4. However, the Antelopes won when it counted. Crane went 11-0 in the HDL.

“It was our third time playing Adrian and we won twice,” Crane coach Sherri Hussey said. “We lost this time and it was a pretty tough match. It was a little bit of everything. We had some mistakes everywhere.”

Each team got big wins in early games.

Adrian took the first game 25-16, and Crane won the second game 25-12, but the final two games went down to the final points. The Antelopes won each of the games by the minimum required two points. Adrian won those games 27-25 and 25-23.

“It’s nice to get the win,” Adrian coach Aimee Goss said. “The girls played well. Crane is a hard team to play. They got us in the regular season. We got big plays out of McKenzie Purnell. Terra Rust and Andrea Shenk were tough too.”

Both teams advance into the playoffs. Crane will play at home Oct. 29, while Adrian’s bye gives them an extra three days of rest. The Antelopes will play at home Nov. 1.