KLAMATH FALLS, Ore. – Continuing the gauntlet of a Cascade Conference schedule, Oregon Tech earned the statement win that had eluded them this season, riding a 15-block night to a 15-25, 26-24, 25-22, 20-25, 15-13 victory over Bushnell University at Danny Miles Court.
 
The Lady Owls (8-7, 2-6 CCC) won for the first time this season at home, while ending a 3-match losing streak to the Beacons in the Basin.
 
Willow Jacobson had 13 kills and seven blocks, including the go-ahead kill in the decisive fifth set and combining with Alexa Gugilotta for a tandem-block to end the match.
 
The Beacons (11-7, 5-3), receiving votes in the latest NAIA Top-25 poll, dominated the opening set, getting three kills and a block from Amyah Semau in a 13-4 run to stake the visitors to a 16-7 lead – easing to the win.
 
Tech flipped the script in Set 2 and Set 3 – getting three Savanna Sterck kills in a 10-3 Set 2 run to open a 17-10 lead. Bushnell rallied to tie the score at 23-23 on consecutive Owls hitting errors, but Aleksen Thayer came to the rescue with two late kills to hand the hosts a win. The Beacons rallied from an 11-5 deficit in Set 3, tying the score at 21-21 on a Semau kill, but Thayer posted consecutive blocks, plus a kill, to close out the set win for Tech.
 
Bushnell forced the final set with a quality fourth set, but fell into a 5-1 hole in Set 5 – thanks to kills from Sterck and Steffini Goss. The Beacons answered with 5-straight points, capped by a Leah Agost-Aliyah Malone block, giving the Eugene school a 12-11 lead.
 
OIT dug deep – getting a back row kill from Sumerlyn Spencer, with a Jacobson kill giving the Owls match point. Following a side out, Jacobson and Gugliotta took away the opposite pin, stuffing a cross court attempt from the Beacons to complete the win.
 
Sterck led all players with 15 kills, Goss had a career-high 11 kills, with Thayer recording 10 kills and five blocks. Lucy Boyd finished with 46 assists and nine digs, with Abigail Sorensen logging 24 digs.
 
Semau led the Beacons with 14 kills and 11 digs, Aogst had 13 kills and Hailey Heider posted 12 kills and 13 digs. Bushnell finished the night with a 65-58 edge in kills.
 
OIT hits the road next weekend, closing the first half of league play with matches at Evergreen and Northwest.