ASHLAND, Ore.  – Bushnell hit the road for the first time in nearly a month on Friday night and the not-so friendly confines of the Lithia Motors Pavilion proved difficult to navigate for the Beacon volleyball team as they lost to Southern Oregon University in three sets, 25-23, 25-23, 25-12.
 
You can never underestimate an opponent with their back again the wall, playing at home, and you can really never underestimate any opponent in the Cascade Conference, especially a traditional power like SOU, no matter what struggles they may have had thus far. Consider it a lesson learned for the Beacons.
 
Heading into the weekend in ninth place in the CCC with two games separating them from the top-six, Southern Oregon (12-10, 7-10 CCC)  had to make a move and they did just that, hitting .277 on their way to the sweep of the third-place Beacons, currently receiving votes in the NAIA national coaches poll.
 
Bushnell (17-4, 13-4) hit just .134 on the night with an uncharacteristically high number of attacking errors.  "We could not get all phases working together tonight," added Corwin. "We will get some rest and get ready for a tough tech team tomorrow."
 
Shay Coons led the Beacons with 12 kills while Payton Jones went for nine kills on a .450 average and assisting on four of the team's five blocks. Makenna Northern led all players with 31 assists and Callie Wilkins led Bushnell with ten digs.
 
Freshman Hailey Van Well hit .483 for the Raiders and posted a match-best 16 kills to lead SOU. Carol Melo had her hand in six of Southern Oregon's nine blocks and Kadyn Jones led all players with 11 digs.

Head coach Jason Corwin said, "It was a tough loss tonight and there are a lot of things we would like to do better, but we have to tip our hats to Southern. They played a good game, they passed well, and Van Well really hurt us."
 
The Beacons remain in a tie for third place with Oregon Tech (17-5, 13-4) after the Owls were knocked off in a five-set battle with No. 6 Corban on Friday night. The Beacons will take on OIT in Klamath Falls at 5:00 pm on Saturday.