OLYMPIA, Wash. -- Bushnell University, ranked #23 in the NAIA Women's Volleyball Poll, held off a solid challenge from The Evergreen State College to defeat the Geoducks 3-0 in Cascade Collegiate Conference action on Saturday, Oct. 25. The Beacons won 25-23, 25-18, 25-16.

For Evergreen, Zofia Formella (So., MB) pounded out 10 kills and registered a .412 hitting percentage. Sophia Scroggins (Jr., OPP/MB) achieved nine kills and 10 digs. Ashley Walker Campbell (Sr., OPP) was credited with seven kills and hit .235. Walker Campbell also recorded three block assists. 

Jayden Vaimaona (Jr., S) supplied the Geoducks with 16 assists, while Sue Losey (Fr., S/RS) added nine assists. Rosario Olvera (Fr., DS) contributed seven digs.

The Beacons were led by Hailey Heider with 15 kills to go along with a .354 hitting percentage and eight digs. Amyah Semau tacked on nine kills and hit .471. Soleil Sands produced six kills and a .750 hitting percentage with no attacking errors. Avery McCallister chipped in 21 assists, while Emma Fa'alogo added 18 assists. Chloe Farr topped all players with 13 digs.

Bushnell improved to 16-10 overall, 10-6 in the CCC. The Geoducks dropped to 1-19 on the season, 1-15 in the CCC.

Evergreen and Bushnell were tied at 21-21 in the first set before the Beacons scored four of the next six points to take a 25-23 win. A kill by Formella had pulled Evergreen within 24-23, but a kill by Heider completed the set for Bushnell. Earlier, Evergreen rallied from a 20-14 deficit with a 6-0 run for a 20-20 tie and tied the game again two rallies later on a kill by Walker Campbell. 

The Geoducks achieved a .179 hitting percentage in the first set. The Beacons hit .070 with 12 attacking errors in the first set but managed to grab the close win.

In the second set, the Beacons held a 6-1 lead that included two kills from Heider. Evergreen reduced the margin to 10-7, but Bushnell added a 7-3 run to increase the lead to 17-10. Evergreen pulled within 19-14 before the Beacons won two consecutive rallies on their way to a 25-18 win.

During the third set, Evergreen held a 13-10 advantage after back-to-back kills by Formella. Bushnell countered with a 7-0 surge that featured three kills by Heider for a 17-13 lead. The Geoducks responded by winning three of the next four points, ending with a kill by Bright Brubaker (S, OPP) to cut the margin to 18-16. The Beacons closed the match with a 7-0 run.

Bushnell accumulated 46 kills, while Evergreen finished with 32 kills. The Beacons gained a 41-35 lead in digs and a slim 4-3 edge in service aces. Both teams were credited with 4.0 team total blocks. 

Evergreen will be back in action on Friday, Oct. 31 at Southern Oregon University. Match time in Ashland, Oregon, is scheduled for 6 p.m. PDT.