EUGENE, Ore. – The No. 5-ranked Corban University Women's Volleyball team opened Cascade Collegiate Conference (CCC) play on Wednesday evening at I-5 rival Bushnell University, battling throughout the first two sets before ultimately falling in straight sets, 25-22, 25-22, 25-15, inside the Morse Center. The Warriors suffered only their seventh loss to the Beacons in the all-time series dating back to 2006, a rivalry historically controlled by Corban.
"We competed well at times, especially in the first two sets, but we weren't consistent enough to sustain that level throughout the match," explained Warriors' head coach Kim McLain. "Credit to Bushnell, they executed their gameplan well and we just couldn't ever find our flow. We'll learn from it, get back to work this week, and be ready for the next opportunity."
The opening set featured several momentum swings as Bushnell (6-2, 1-0) raced ahead 6-1 before the Warriors (7-3, 0-1) settled into the match. Corban chipped away steadily behind the attacking efforts of senior outside hitters Emma Bischoff and Kendra Bittle, eventually erasing a six-point deficit and drawing even at 20-20 following a service run from Bischoff. The Beacons responded late with key kills from Amyah Semau and Soleil Sands to narrowly escape with a 25-22 victory.
Corban appeared poised to even the match in the second stanza after constructing its strongest stretch of the evening. The Warriors used balanced offense from Bittle, freshman opposite hitter Greta Van Gemert, junior middle blocker Gracee Robertson, and redshirt sophomore middle blocker Jenna Konzelman to build a commanding 12-6 advantage. However, Bushnell gradually worked back into the set, utilizing a 13-6 run late in the frame to eventually swing a six-point deficit into a four-point lead. Corban fought off several rallies and remained within striking distance, but the Beacons claimed the final two points for another 25-22 decision.
Seeking to extend the contest, the Warriors stayed close throughout the opening portion of the third set and held a 6-5 lead after a Konzelman and junior opposite hitter Lauryn Copeland block. Bushnell answered with a decisive 12-2 run that created more than enough separation midway through the frame, as the Beacons' efficient attack proved difficult to slow as the home side closed out the match with a 25-15 third-set win.
Bittle paced the Warrior offense with eight kills on a .286 attacking percentage while adding 10 digs. Bischoff contributed seven kills, two service aces, four digs, and two block assists, while Konzelman attacked at a team-best .500 clip with six kills on just one error. Van Gemert also added six kills and eight digs for the Navy and Gold.
Senior setter Nadeiah Howard recorded a team-high 16 assists, one service ace, and four digs, while sophomore setter Kawena Crowell added 11 assists and six digs. Defensively, junior libero Dani Street anchored the back row with a match-high 13 digs and a service ace. At the net, the Warriors five nine team blocks, highlighted by three block assists from Copeland and a pair of block assists from both Bischoff and Robertson.
Notable Statistics
- Bittle led both Corban's offense and defense with 8 kills and 10 digs.
- Street posted a match-high 13 digs.
- Konzelman hit .500 with 6 kills on 10 total attacks.
- Corban recorded 47 team digs and only five total blocks.
- Bushnell finished with a .301 attacking percentage and held a 46-33 advantage in kills.
Bushnell was led offensively by Taya Blankenship's 12 kills and ten digs, while Semau added nine kills and Sands chipped in eight kills on an efficient .571 hitting percentage. The Beacons' balanced attack and seven team blocks helped them secure the conference-opening victory.
Corban will have an opportunity to bounce back quickly as the Warriors continue conference competition on Saturday, September 5th, when they travel to Portland to face Warner Pacific University (0-1, 0-0). First serve is scheduled for 4pm as Corban looks to return to the win column and build momentum early in CCC play.
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