EUGENE, Ore.  – It was a great season for the Bushnell women's soccer team which, under first-year head coach Halle Meadows, qualified for the post-season for the first time in seven years.  
 
After a 3-0 loss to Simpson University in their season opener, the Beacons bounced back quickly, claiming their first win of the season, 2-1 over Lewis & Clark College on September 2.
 
The momentum carried into the Cascade Collegiate Conference season as the Beacons started 3-1-1. Later on, a 2-0 shutout victory over Warner Pacific on senior day put the Beacons in prime position to return to the CCC tournament, needing just one more point to clinch their spot.
 
That point came on October 27, in dramatic fashion with a 1-1 tie on the road against Rocky Mountain College, on a snowy Friday afternoon, thanks to a late score from Sydney Petersen and a penalty kick save by Lexi Bates.
 
Head Coach Halle Meadows said, "It wasn't a great start but after travelling 20+ hours and playing in 17-degree weather, the girls battled and gave it their all. Rocky got an early goal on us and after a tough first and second half, Syd got a beautiful equalizer with under five minutes to go. Then Rocky got a PK opportunity that Lexi came up big and blocked!"
 
Rocky Mountain came into the match with an undefeated record against Bushnell, having not surrendered a goal to the Beacons since 2016. The Battlin' Bears were on pace to keep that streak alive, leading 1-0 after a fourth-minute goal by Emma Lensing and holding the one-goal edge for over 80 minutes.
 
As time was winding down, the Beacons clinched their postseason spot in dramatic fashion, scoring in the 87th-minute of play. Lexis Canyete-Asato got the sequence started, sending a cross into the box from the corner. Harmony Simmons gained control and tapped a short pass back to Petersen who floated her shot into the right side of the net.
 
The Battlin' Bears earned a penalty kick less than a minute later but Bates, a two-time CCC Defender of the Week, made the save to maintain the 1-1 tie and help the Beacons secure the playoff bid on their own power.
 
The Beacons finished with a 16-8 advantage in shots, putting 11 attempts on goal. Emily Puita tallied four shots and Ruby Daniels added three.
 
"It wasn't a fantastic game, but we clinched playoffs and I'm super proud of this team," said Meadows. "The fight and drive all season has been so awesome to see and we as coaches couldn't be happier."
 
Bushnell wasn't able to pull out a win in the post-season tournament, falling to eventual champion College of Idaho in the quarterfinals, but the Beacons surely made a step in the right direction in 2023, closing out the year with a 5-8-3 record and a 4-5-3 mark in conference play.

Top-Ten Stories of 2023-2024

#10 - Will, Stout Join Bushnell Coaching Staff
#9 - Softball Knocks Off No. 10 Southern Oregon
#8 - Beacons Display Prowess in the Classroom
#7 - Women's Soccer Qualifies for Postseason
#6 - Women's Basketball Upsets No. 7 Lewis-Clark State
#5 - Beacons Serve as Champion of Character
#4 - Bushnell and GCF Launch Beach Volleyball Facility
#3 - Track & Field Sends Three to NAIA Championships
#2 - A Record-Breaking Year
#1 - Baseball Wins CCC Tournament