Box Score

EUGENE, Ore. – The Northwest Christian University volleyball team was swept in their home opener and Cascade Collegiate Conference opener on Friday night by The College of Idaho, 25-10, 25-20, 25-12. The Coyotes are ranked 18th in the NAIA and showed why they are the favorites to win the CCC title this season.

Northwest Christian played a strong match and held early leads in all three sets, but succumbed each time to a taller and more powerful opponent. In fact, the Beacons held as much as a three-point lead in the second set, holding an 8-5 advantage. NCU was still ahead at 12-11, but the Coyotes rattled off seven of the next nine points to push back the effort.

After the match Head Coach Mike Gaffaney said, “We played extremely well tonight against a very good team. I think the theme for us tonight was our inconsistency. We played really well in spurts, but you can't play a team like that and have those lag times.”

Gaffaney singled out serve receive as a particular area of weakness as the Beacons allowed 11 service aces to College of Idaho, including five for senior Marcella Hernandez. “We led them get into a groove on us in serve receive,” he said. “That is one area that we are going to focus on for tomorrow.”

The College of Idaho (4-1, 1-0 CCC) was led by senior Kristen Henning who hit .471 in the game with nine kills and just one error, adding four blocks on defense. Junior Madie Machurek registered a match-high 18 assists and junior Whitney Owen collected a match-best 18 digs.

The Beacons (2-4, 0-1 CCC) got nine kills from junior Cassie Bishop, who added seven digs, and freshman Kayla Hansen was strong defensively with four blocks. Mercedes LeClaire (12 digs) and Whitney Hoff (nine assists and five digs) were praise by Coach Gaffaney after the match. He said, “Whitney (pictured) and Mercedes played well throughout the match tonight. The two of them are going to lead the team with year and it showed tonight.”

Gaffaney was also encouraged by two big changes that the Beacons are experiencing this season, that are beginning to make themselves evident. “I am really pleased with the fact that I have some depth this year. We can switch things up and make adjustments when we need to, which is in stark contrast to last season. It really makes us less predictable than in the past and that will lead to more points.”

The other change for NCU is in the conference schedule. In the past, with eleven teams in the conference, NCU was the lone school without a travel partner and every weekend of CCC play the Beacons would play two games and their opponents would not have a second opponent outside of the Beacons. Now, with Cascade College no longer in the mix, NCU is partnered with Corban College, and every weekend will be a two-game set for every school.

“The travel partner shift is going to help us a lot,” said Gaffaney. “In the past when teams had that extra time to prepare for us as their only opponent in the weekend, it gave us a distinct disadvantage. This year everyone will be on an even playing field.”

That shift will be in focus for the first time tomorrow afternoon as the Beacons play host to Eastern Oregon University, who played in Salem against Corban on Friday night. Saturday's first serve is scheduled for 1:00 pm.