EUGENE, Ore.  – If Friday's season opening matches are any indication, the 2024 Bushnell Volleyball team is set to take their fans on quite the ride. While they weren't able to pull out a victory, the Beacons took the defending NAIA national runner-up to the brink and were close the entire way in their second match.
 
#2 NORTHWESTERN (IA) 3, BUSHNELL 2
 
The Beacons wasted no time making an impression as they went the distance with the No. 2-ranked Red Raiders in a 23-25, 24-26, 27-25, 25-10, 15-11. The Beacons earned a pair of match-points in the third set, but were unable to compete the task.
 
Head Coach Jason Corwin said, "We had a solid team performance against a team that will be in the NAIA tournament and could win a very tough conference. I like our fight and resiliency and we will build off of this first match and keep working to get better."
 
"It was a hard loss, but it was a battle," added redshirt sophomore Katie Belitz. "We definitely got to show what we are capable of which makes our season ahead really exciting."
 
Senior Brooklynn Dechent said, "To see all of the hard work that was put in during the off-season and watch it come to life is so special, especially to experience it with this team. I know we are going to do great things, because this team is eager to learn and we love and trust each other."
 
"This was a tough game that we are going to be able to learn a lot from," said senior Matty Ladd. "This just shows what our level of play is and what we are capable of."
 
Bella Parque added, "For this to be our first match, and to be against #2 in the nation, we are really off to a good start."
 
Bushnell was out-blocked 18-8 in the game, which proved to be a difference maker down the stretch of the reverse sweep. The Beacons enjoyed a 57-55 advantage in kills while out-digging NWC, 67-59.
 
Junior transfer Hailey Heider had 16 kills for the Beacons in her debut while Ladd added 11 kills an no errors for a .500 hitting percentage. Parque cleaned things up in the back row to the tune of a match-high 29 digs.
 
(RV) Rocky Mountain 3, Bushnell 0
 
The Beacons kept things competitive in their second match, but weren't able to pull out a set against Rocky Mountain College, falling 25-22, 25-22, 25-21.
 
The Bears, currently receiving votes in the NAIA coaches poll, held Bushnell to a .048 attack percentage, which proved to be the difference as the Beacons once again had advantages in both kills (36-30) and digs (65-59).
 
"We had too many errors to find any consistency," said Corwin. "We will work on not scoring as many points for our opponents tomorrow."
 
Ladd led all players with ten kills while Makenna Mosher hit .375 with four kills. Parque added 21 more digs and Katie Belitz posted 21 assists.
 
Bushnell closes out the tournament with two more matches on Saturday, waking up to face Montana State-Northern at 9:00 am Mountain Time. The will then take on Frontier Conference power Carroll College at 1:00 pm MT.