EUGENE, Ore.  – This week in Beacon Athletics: Soccer opens up CCC action, volleyball comes home for two tough opponents, XC in action and Esports makes it's 2024-2025 debut!

WOMEN'S SOCCER

Thursday 9/19 vs. Corban, 4:30 pm (Livestats | Video Stream)
 
THIS WEEK: The Beacons open up the Cascade Collegiate Conference schedule this week, playing host to Corban University on Thursday evening.
 
CONFERENCE OUTLOOK: The CCC will open up the schedule this weekend and after Corban and Bushnell kick things off on Thursday, a battle of the two undefeated teams will highlight Friday as No. 13 College of Idaho (2-0-2) plays host to Northwest (1-0).
 
The Yotes are the lone team ranked in the NAIA Top-25 coaches poll. Oregon Tech (4-1-1) and Eastern Oregon (1-1-2) are receiving votes.
 
Bushnell is currently ranked eighth in the CCC in scoring, tied with Corban, at 1.33 goals per game. The Beacons rank 11th defensively, allowing 1.67 goals per game. Individually, Lanaeya Botelho and Stephanie Llanos are tied for eight in the CCC with 0.83 points per game. Ana Agusto is second in the CCC, holding a 0.50 Goals Against Average through two games.
 
CORBAN: The Warriors have started the season at 3-2-1. After winning their first two games, they have scored just three goals in a four-game stretch, going 1-2-1, and they come in off a 5-0 loss to Whitman College.  
 
Tied with the Beacons for eighth in the CCC in scoring (1.33 goals per game), the Warriors are seventh defensively, allowing 1.33 gpg. Alysia Alvarado is off to a strong start, scoring four goals which is tied for the CCC lead.
 
Corban holds a daunting 18-1 record in the all-time series with the Beacons and have won nine straight.

MEN'S SOCCER

Thursday 9/19 vs. Corban, 7:00 pm (Livestats | Video Stream)
 
THIS WEEK: The Beacons will take a 4-0-1 preseason record and look to parlay that into Cascade Collegiate Conference success when they start the CCC circuit against Corban on Thursday at 7:00 pm.
 
LAST TIME OUT: Bushnell extended their undefeated non-conference streak to 12 games over the weekend, picking up a pair of victories in California as they defeated Cal Maritime 2-1 and Simpson University, 2-0.
 
Ian Palma was named Cascade Collegiate Conference Offensive Player of the Week as he scored two goals and an assist over the weekend, including the game-winning goal against the Keelhaulers.
 
CONFERENCE OUTLOOK: The CCC is currently home to one NAIA Top-25 team, No. 22-ranked Southern Oregon (3-2). Warner Pacific (4-1) is in the "receiving votes" category.
 
Bushnell is currently ranked second in the CCC in scoring, averaging 2.25 goals per game. The Beacons are also second in goals allowed, with opponents scoring 0.75 goals against.
 
Danny Rojas and Ian Palma are tied for fourth in the CCC in scoring. Both have three goals and one assist, averaging 1.75 points per game. Meanwhile, William Haberfield is currently ranked third in the CCC with a 0.75 Goals Against Average.
 
CORBAN: The Warriors opened the season with a 2-1 win over Stanton University but have since lost four straight to close their pre-season with a 1-4 record. They have lost by at least two goals in each game.
 
Corban is currently tenth in the CCC in scoring (1.20 goals per game) and they rank 12th for goals against, allowing 2.8 per contest. Five different players have scored one goal apiece for the Warriors.
 
Corban holds a 19-3-4 record in the all-time series with the last Beacon win coming in 2010.

CROSS COUNTRY

Friday 9/20 at CCC Preview Meet, W: 10:00 am / M: 11:00 am (Livestats)
 
LAST TIME OUT: The Beacon men and women both took sixth-place last weekend as they competed in the Ash Creek Invitationals for the first time in five years. For the women, Kaitlin Cook led the way in the 5000-meter race taking 14th place at 20:05.10. Ben Collins made his debut for the Beacons and led the men's team in 30th in the 6k race (20:29.79).
 
THIS WEEK: The Beacons head to Portland and specifically the Rose City Golf Course for the Cascade Collegiate Conference preview meet, hosted by Multnomah University. The Beacons will compete at official distances (6000m for the women, 80000m for the men) for the first time this season.

VOLLEYBALL

Friday 9/20 vs. Eastern Oregon, 6:00 pm (Livestats | Video Stream)
Saturday 9/21 vs. College of Idaho, 4:00 pm (Livestats | Video Stream)
 
THIS WEEK: The Beacons return home for another difficult pair of matches, facing No. 2 Eastern Oregon University on Friday and (RV) College of Idaho on Saturday.
 
LAST TIME OUT: Bushnell split their road trip to the southern part of the state last weekend, knocking off formerly-receiving votes Oregon Tech, 3-1 before falling to No. 5 Southern Oregon University, 3-1.
 
MILESTONE WATCH: Last Friday night, Bella Parque joined elite company as just the seventh player in school history with 1000 digs.
 
CONFERENCE OUTLOOK: With recent wins over both the Beacons and Southern Oregon, Corban has emerged as the lone undefeated team in the CCC at 5-0. Five different schools sit close behind with only one loss. The marquee matchup this weekend will featured the No. 7-ranked Warriors playing host to No. 2 Eastern Oregon on Saturday.
 
Bushnell is currently ranked eighth in the CCC on offense with a .170 attack percentage. They are also eighth defensively, holding opponents to a .153 hitting percentage. The Beacons also rank second in the CCC in service aces, averaging 1.95 per set, and third in digs (16.61/s).  
 
Individually, Leah Agost is tenth in the CCC with a .267 attack while Amyah Semau leads the Cascade in service aces with 26.
 
EASTERN OREGON: The Mounties (11-1, 3-1 CCC) remain No. 2 in the latest NAIA national coaches poll despite suffering their first loss of the season as they fell to No. 5 Southern Oregon.
 
The Mounties are second in the CCC for hitting percentage (.241) and are third on defense (.109 allowed). The boast the second-most blocks in the CCC (2.79/set) but are just ninth in digs with 15.56 per set. EOU boasts three of the top-ten hitters in the conference with Keira Vaughn ranked fifth in the CCC with a .306 attack percentage and 3.51 kills per set. Right behind her is Kiauna Mack at .296. Mack also leads the conference and is No. 2 in the NAIA with 1.71 blocks per set.
 
Eastern Oregon is 35-3 in the all-time series with the Beacons and have won 25 straight matches, dating back to 2013. In that time the Beacons have won a set eight times and only once taken a match to five.
 
COLLEGE OF IDAHO: Are the Yotes back? That is the question that still needs an answer as the once dominant powerhouse of the Cascade Conference has made the CCC post-season just once since the pandemic. They are currently on the cusp of their first NAIA top-25 ranking since 2018, and have one signature win over No. 17 Viterbo.
 
C of I (7-5, 3-1 CCC) is currently sixth in the CCC with a .184 attack percentage, and is seventh defensively, holding opponents to a .148 hitting clip. They rank No. 2 in the conference in digs (16.71 per set), slightly ahead of Bushnell, but they are 11th in service aces at 1.21 per set.
 
Haley McUne leads the offense and is ranked seventh in the CCC, averaging 2.96 kills per set. Alexa Wheeler is third in the conference in blocking (1.45 blocks per set) while Althea Sandoval is fourth in digs (4.55/s).
 
The Yotes hold a 26-9 lead in the all-time series with the Beacons and swept last season's home-and-home series. Before that, the Beacons had won eight straight.

ESPORTS

Monday 9/23 vs. Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, 5:00 pm (Video Stream TBA)
Monday 9/23 vs. Teamfight Tactics, 5:00 pm (Video Stream TBA)
Tuesday 9/24 vs. Valorant, 5:00 pm (Video Stream)
Tuesday 9/24 vs. NBA 2K, 5:00 pm (Videa Stream TBA)
 
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate (SSBU) will open its seven-week regular season on Monday. The format of SSBU is 4v4 Crew Battles on a Nintendo Switch. Matches will be played as a best-of-three series.
 
Teamfight Tactics (TFT) will also open its seven-week regular season on Monday. The format of TFT is an eight-way free for all on PC or Mobile. Each week will consist of two matches.
 
Valorant opens its seven-week regular season on Tuesday. Teams will play a best-of-three series.
 
The seven-week NBA 2K regular season opens on Tuesday. The format of NBA 2K is a 1v1 best-of-three series.