SALEM, Ore. – The Bushnell women's basketball team remained undefeated in Cascade Collegiate Conference action and remained undefeated against their Willamette Valley rival since before the pandemic, taking down Corban University on the road on Friday evening, 72-67.
 
The Beacons (4-4, 3-0 CCC) had five players in double-figures and shot 41% from the field as the won their 12th straight game in the series, and held on as the Warriors climbed back from a double-digit deficit to make it a one-possession game late in the fourth quarter.
 
"This was a fun basketball game tonight," said Beacon Head Coach Chad Meadors. "We grew a ton and we are learning through winning and when you get to do that the sky is the limit."
 
Ayden Krupke, ranked third in the CCC in scoring, continued her hot start to the season with a game-high 18 points including a perfect 7-for-7 from the free-throw line. Libby Mathis added 15 points and a team-high eight rebounds while Mandy Sisul buried a trio of three-pointers and scored 13. And Ellis Mastel added ten points off the bench.
 
Meadors said, "Everybody really contributed tonight. Ayden had an excellent second half on offense and was phenomenal on defense for the whole game. We had a huge basket from Libby at the end of the game. Ellis is just so steady and Mandy got us off to an unbelievable start knocking down shots and creating the tone for the game.
 
One week after making her return to the court from a 12-month injury recovery, Liv Tjoelker (pictured) earned her first start of the season and made the most of it with 13 points, five rebounds, five assists and three steals. Meadors said, "Liv was awesome. You get to see the impact she has on our team in a possession-by-possession basis. She is our motor and just has a calming and poised presence on the court. When we needed a basket, she got us a basket. When she needed to facilitate she facilitated. Most importantly, at the end of the game when we got tight, she was the one that steadied the ship, got the ball to our shooters and found a way to make plays."
 
Corban (4-5, 2-1) was led by 16 points from Jenna Albrecht while Madison Hodnett scored 12 points and a game-high nine rebounds.
 
The Beacons return to action on Sunday, closing out their non-conference slate on the road against an undefeated Linfield University at 3:00 pm.