KLAMATH FALLS, Ore. – The Northwest Christian University volleyball team got back on track Friday night, earning a season split with Oregon Tech as they won 25-19, 22-25, 25-21, 16-25, 15-12.
 
With the win NCU moves to 16-9 and climbs back to .500 in the Cascade Collegiate Conference at 8-8. The Beacons are in seventh place, one game behind both Evergreen and Northwest in fifth and just one and half games out of fourth place with four matches remaining in the regular season.
 
The Beacons hit .173 in the victory with a 63-45 advantage in kills to overcome Oregon Tech holding statistical advantages for digs (63-55), blocks (10-6) and service aces (6-3).
 
Head Coach Jason Corwin said, "We played a tough opponent in a tough environment tonight, but our players persevered. Halle Neumann delivered for us every time we needed it, Kayla passed and dug all night and Natalie had a fantastic night in the middle. I am proud of this team's response in the fifth set, collecting 11 kills and serving tough."
 
Freshman Halle Neumann (pictured) put together a potent attack, collecting a match-high 17 kills while hitting .342 on the right side. Junior Claire Salness added 13 kills on the outside while junior Natalie Downes went 10-for-21 with just one error in the middle, hitting .429. Downes added a team-leading four blocks and is now just four blocks away from setting a new NCU single-season record and ten shy of the career record.
 
Reigning CCC Setter of the Week Makenna Northern added a double-double with 49 more assists and ten digs while this week's Defensive Player of the Week Kayla Olson led all players with 26 digs.
 
Oregon Tech (13-12, 6-9 CCC) received a team-best nine kills from Kaylin Talonen while Melody Edwards came off the bench to provide eight kills and a match-high seven blocks. Three others had seven kills apiece in the loss.
 
Northwest Christian will return home next weekend, taking on Multnomah (2-14, 1-14) and Warner Pacific (4-15, 3-12) on Friday and Saturday respectively.