SALEM, Ore. – It was an uncomfortable scene for Warrior Nation as the first set of tonight's contest unfolded, yet the No. 5-ranked Corban University Volleyball team turned opening period errors into learning opportunities throughout the remainder of the match, taking a four-setter against Bushnell University in the first rivalry matchup of the 2023 season via set scores of 20-25, 25-7, 25-13, and 25-11.
"Bushnell came ready to play and we struggled with our passing and intensity in the first set," Warriors' head coach Kim McLain shared when asked to speak on the Beacons big showing in the first set. "I was proud how the team quickly turned things around by serving tough, and in return passing well in order to run our offense!"
In typical rivalry fashion, national rankings and preseason favorites go out the window when competing against your in-conference travel partner, as the Beacons (4-3, 2-1) came out of the locker room with determination to make things difficult on the Warriors (9-2, 3-0) tonight, regardless of the outcome.
Drive by that willpower, Bushnell jumped out to an 8-4 lead over Corban and forced Coach McLain to call her first timeout of the season on her home court after five-straight Beacon' points. The Navy and Gold would rally to take a 14-12 lead, but a well-utilized timeout by Bushnell allowed them to flip the script and retake a 19-16 advantage.
An unprecedented attacking error by junior outside hitter Rylee Troutman is how the Beacons would clinch a 25-20 first set victory, silencing the Corban fanbase in attendance and forcing the Warriors into a situation they haven't seen on many occasions thus far this season.
Despite an ugly opening set riddled with errors and missed opportunities, Coach McLain and her program kept their heads high and settled into the second set with a comeback in mind. Needless to say, a quick glance at the play-by-play will show just how motivated the Warriors were to not allow a sweep on their home floor, as the team crushed a .480 team kill percentage in the second set alone to earn a 25-7 victory and tie the match at a set apiece.
Now having sampled a bit of the success they're used to experiencing in the C.E. Jeffers Sports Center, the Navy and Gold leapt out to another large lead to begin the third set, one which would cause Bushnell to call both of their timeouts by the time the scoreboard read 16-8. Having earned a sizeable lead, the Warriors were able to trade points back-and-forth with the Beacons the remainder of the set to earn a 25-13 win and take a 2-1 lead in the match.
All of the momentum that the Beacons had worked so hard to accomplish setting in the first set had gone right out the front doors and replaced with a boisterous Corban student section, who reached their pinnacle in the fourth set when freshman middle blocker Emma Bischoff skipped back-to-back service aces off of Bushnell's backcourt to take a 6-1 lead into a called timeout.
The revitalized Warriors didn't hold back through the final half of the fourth and final set, tallying even more blocks and aces to their team totals in a 25-11 fourth set to secure the match and thus erase a 1-0 set deficit from their home court advantage.
After the Beacons trounced the Warriors in the opening set to the tune of 14 kills and a .364 attacking percentage, the Corban defense picked up pace to out-block Bushnell 13-7 in the match, alongside a 56-38 vantage in digs and twenty more team kills than the Eugene citizens. Slowly but surely, the Navy and Gold chipped away at the Beacons kill percentage, eventually ending in an even .000 team kill percentage for Bushnell over all four sets.
Troutman bounced back from an opening set that she wishes she could have back to lead both teams in kills with 16 on the night, adding 10 digs for her third double-double of the early season. Bischoff and sophomore outside hitter Makayla Roginski followed right behind their captain with nine kills apiece, with the former slashing a perfect zero error evening to swing a heavy .600 attack percentage. The freshman phenom added four block assists and four service aces to show her consistency all over the court.
Freshman setter Nadeiah Howard recorded her first of many future collegiate double-doubles thanks to a game-high 19 assists along with 10 digs in the backcourt and a pair of service aces. Her setting partner, sophomore Abby Guindy, registered 18 assists and seven digs during her rotations.
The Corban defense came to play in the final three sets against Bushnell, as the Warriors tied their season-high mark for assisted blocks with 26 this evening, led by junior middle blocker Allyson Reid who was responsible for eight of those denials. The backcourt was secured by junior libero Marissa Uehara and her game-high 11 digs, adding six assists during her emergency setter duties.
The Beacons were led offensively by outside hitter Leah Agost, who landed eight kills but suffered from eight errors to even her own playing field. Outside hitters Amya Semau and Halle Neuman followed right behind Agost with seven and six kills, respectively. Bushnell's two-setter offense resulted in teammates Katie Belitz and Peyton Ritchie to split the assists at 14 and 10, while libero Bella Parque paced the defense with eight digs.
The Warriors return to Tim Hills Court once again this upcoming Friday at 7pm, as the Eagles of Northwest University (6-2, 3-0) head to Oregon with their own perfect conference record in a clash of the CCC unbeatens.
Follow Corban Athletics:
Facebook l Twitter l Instagram l Snapchat l YouTube l Email
Download our App: iOS (iPhone/iPad) l Android
