LA GRANDE, Ore. — The No. 5-seeded College of Idaho Yotes pulled off a major upset in the Cascade Collegiate Conference (CCC) quarterfinals, sweeping No. 4 Bushnell in straight sets (25-12, 25-20, 25-21) Friday morning at Quinn Coliseum.
The victory marked a milestone for the Yotes (20-12), who avenged two regular-season losses to Bushnell, including a five-set road defeat and a four-set home loss. Leading the charge for College of Idaho was Mia Hutchinson, who notched 10 kills with an impressive .474 hitting percentage, complemented by three digs and two block assists.
Setter Savannah Hutchins directed the Yotes' offense with 19 assists and added eight digs, while Shelbey Nichol contributed eight kills and four block assists. The Yotes' defense was stout, out-blocking Bushnell with a total of 18 block assists. Haley McUne tallied 10 kills and three service aces for 13.5 points overall.
Bushnell (19-12) struggled to find offensive rhythm, hitting just .073 collectively. Hailey Heider led Bushnell with 10 kills but was plagued by seven errors. Amyah Semau added seven kills, but errors and an aggressive Yotes' defense limited their effectiveness.
The Yotes established control early, dominating the first set 25-12 before withstanding Bushnell's push in the final two sets. Their resilience and improved execution secured a spot in the CCC semifinals, keeping their postseason hopes alive.
