EUGENE, Ore. – It took 12 tries over the past 11 seasons but the Northwest Christian University volleyball team finally won in Ashland on Friday night, coming from behind to top Southern Oregon in five sets.
 
NCU (11-14, 9-10 CCC) broke the sixth-place deadlock with Warner Pacific in the process as the Knights were defeated by Northwest University on Friday in five sets. The Beacons are now in position to win their final game, or benefit from a Warner Pacific loss to Evergreen State to qualify for the Cascade Collegiate Conference Tournament.
 
The Beacons won 18-25, 20-25, 25-22, 25-21, 15-12, marking just the third time in the 22-match history with the Raiders that the game went further than three sets. NCU's only previous win against SOU came at home in 2013.
 
NCU out-blocked the Raiders 15-8, including a match-high seven from Cassidy Winters and six each from Macy DuCouer and Keri Schwarz. Schwarz also had an errorless night on the attack, collecting 13 kills on 23 swings for a .565 average.
 
Taylor Burnett registered 20 kills and 17 digs and Maci Beierle contributed 43 assists, two aces and 18 digs. Reigning CCC Defensive Player of the Week Sydney Rothenbush collected 14 digs and also had two aces.
 
The Raiders were led by Emma Gasman with 18 kills. Courtney Macklin hit .394 with 16 kills and three blocks and Lauren McGowne collected 43 assists, ten digs and six kills, hitting .455.
 
The Beacons will be back in action at 5:00 pm on Saturday, looking to clinch the final CCC playoff spot with a win against Oregon Tech. NCU defeated the Owls at home back in early September in three sets.