EUGENE, OR - The Northwest beach volleyball team kicked off their third season against #10 College of Idaho losing 4-1 but winning against hosts Bushnell, 3-2.

Heading into this weekend, first year Head Coach Meng Bak said, "I believe this is going to be our best year moving forward for the Eagles. All the players have worked so hard this fall and winter to improve their game on the beach. I've seen so much growth in such a short amount of time that we had training together. I'm so grateful for the coaching staff God has blessed me with. I know we are only going to get better."

It was going to be an uphill battle from the start as the Eagles faced the Yotes, a team who entered this season number 10 in the NAIA and had a strong inaugural campaign last year, going 7-9. 

The Yotes took care of business, winning in order of 4, 2, 5, 3, 1. Kylie Rankins and Ellie Van Berkum were able to snag their first set 21-15 as the third pair, but Ellie Baker and Liza Montalbo won the last two sets, 21-13 and 15-12. Caitlyn James and Kylie Lunday were able to grab the lone Eagles' win in close bouts, winning over Hailey Doopes and Sydney Dews, 21-19, 18-2, and 15-13. 

The Eagles and Beacons met in an evenly matched affair in the afternoon, but the Eagles prevailed in the end, winning in order of 2, 4, 1, 3, 5. James and Lunday swept Kate Palelek and Makenna Moshur as the first pair, 22-20 and 21-13. Masa Spela Jarc and Aubree Dees got their sweep as the second pair against Olivia Kelzenberg and Jazmyn Wilcox, 21-12 and 21-10. Ava Hoy and Kali Dransfeldt rebounded and were able to win in three sets in a closely fought battle as the fifth pair, 12-21, 22-20, and 18-16. 

The Eagles will face Bushnell and Corban tomorrow. 

"Our 5 pairs came back in OT, and they fought so hard; they were resilient," Bak said on today's results. "We still have a lot to work on, but I'm confident all the girls are going to keep getting better at the end of the day."