A year ago, the Powers volleyball team reached the Class 1A state playoffs, traveled to Willamette Valley Christian, and promptly lost.

The Cruisers hope their fate is different this time around.

Powers hit the road this morning for Eastern Oregon and a Wednesday night playoff match at Powder Valley.

“I’m really excited that we have another chance to go and see if we can go past the first round this year,” said junior Nicole Bittner.

She was one of two Cruisers named to the all-tournament team at the Skyline League tournament on Saturday, along with setter Haley Patterson, after Powers edged Camas Valley to take the league’s No. 3 seed for the state playoffs.

Bittner thinks the Cruisers’ experience last year will help the team this time around.

“We won’t be as nervous since we’ve been in this situation,” she said. “We’ll know what to expect.”

First-year Powers coach Beth Rector is confident in her team.

“I think that we should be able to do pretty well,” she said. “We’ve been working hard all season, is what it comes down to.”

The Cruisers finished third in the Skyline League, but then nearly lost to Camas Valley, winning the fifth game 18-16.

Rector attributed the close win to several things.

“I think it was just mental toughness and experience and determination, and a stroke of luck, perhaps,” she said.

The Cruisers faced match point twice in the final game, but rallied for the win.

“We just pulled together as a team better and we worked harder and we set our eyes on the goal,” Patterson said.

That goal included the trip to the playoffs.

“I think we’re pretty good,” Patterson said. “We’ve got good teamwork. We’re dedicated.”

Bittner said the Cruisers have benefited from experience — 10 of the team’s 12 players are back from last year.

“Since we’ve been playing together, we know each other better,” she said. “We’ve been hustling well together. We’re attacking better, up at the net, and blocking.”

Along with Patterson and Bittner, the squad includes fellow juniors Bilhe Marshall, Sosha Hofsess, Kirsten Clauson, Leslie Schuler and Mandy Moore; sophomores Dru Schrum and Liz Linderman; and freshmen Taylor Stallard and KC Carter.

One key in Wednesday’s match will be getting off to a good start. The Cruisers lost the first game of last year’s playoff match 25-11 before making the other two close.

“Once you get in a hole, it’s tough to get out of it,” Bittner said. “You always want to get a lead.”

And if the Cruisers do get down, they can’t stay down.

“We need to keep our heads up,” Bittner said. “We can’t get down on ourselves if we make a mistake.”

The Cruisers are hoping to make a week of it in Eastern Oregon.

Powder Valley High School is located in North Powder, a town just off Interstate 84 about halfway between La Grande and Baker.

If the Cruisers win Wednesday, they play Saturday at Griswold, a school located north of Pendleton. They will stay through Saturday.

“They’re all bringing their schoolwork,” Rector said. “All their teachers have given them assignments.”

They hope they can do all those assignments away from the classroom this week.

Notes: In addition to the individual honors, Powers also received the sportsmanship award at the league tournament.