Caldwell, Idaho — Bethel Volleyball's incredible 2025 season came to a close Saturday evening as the Threshers fell to College of Idaho in straight sets (19–25, 22–25, 13–25) in the NAIA National Tournament Opening Round.
This postseason appearance marked Bethel's first national tournament trip since 2008, a milestone that reflects how far the program climbed this year and how bright the future is with this core.
Bethel finishes an outstanding season at 23–11, including an 11–2 record in KCAC play, and proved themselves as one of the top programs in the region.
Set One: Bethel Battles but CI Pulls Away Late
The opening set was a real back-and-forth stretch in the early going. College of Idaho opened with a surge behind kills from Brooke Garman and Cora Young, putting Bethel in an early 3–6 hole.
Bethel responded how this team has responded all year.
Cameron Offerle got going with multiple kills, Landree Merriman came in and made an immediate impact with two quick kills, and Bethel pushed the score to 14–18 and later 19–23.
Merriman and Offerle both fought to close the gap, but College of Idaho closed the set with a pair of key kills to take it 25–19.
Set Two: A Huge Mid-Set Run Gives Bethel Life
Set two was Bethel at its best.
Offerle hammered the first point of the set, and despite College of Idaho responding with a mini-run, Bethel hung right in.
The turning point came when Bethel ripped off a 11–1 run, highlighted by:
• Two kills from Offerle
• A service ace from Dalaina Schutte
• A massive block by Merriman and Vines
• Another ace from Emily Hynes
Bethel erased a deficit and took an 18–17 lead. For a long stretch, they looked fully in control of the momentum.
College of Idaho, though, closed the set with a few clutch plays from Flerchinger and Garman, sneaking out a 25–22 win despite Bethel's best stretch of the match.
Set Three: Early Serving Run Creates Too Much Distance
The third set was decided quickly as College of Idaho's serving pressure broke the set open. The Yotes opened the frame with a huge run that included multiple service aces and a series of Bethel attack errors that put the Threshers in a 1–12 hole.
Bethel never quit. Merriman, Offerle, and Schutte kept swinging, and Bethel fought the score all the way to 13–22 late in the set. But the early deficit proved too large, and College of Idaho closed out the match 25–13 to advance.
This match was another example of just how important Cameron Offerle has become to Bethel Volleyball.
She finished with 10 kills on 42 swings and added multiple defensive plays. But her impact goes far beyond this one match.
Across the season, Offerle:
• Became Bethel's go-to offensive weapon
• Carried a massive six-rotation load at a high level
• Put up some of the biggest stat lines in the KCAC
• Was consistently the one of best players on the court in conference play
She had the type of season where her name absolutely deserves to be in the All-American conversation. She is easily one of the top hitters in the KCAC and one of the most complete outside hitters in the entire NAIA where she still leads the country in kills.
SEASON RECAP
When the dust settles, the scoreboard from this match won't be the headline for this program.
This team:
• Returned to the NAIA National Tournament for the first time since 2008
• Finished near the top of the KCAC
• Posted one of the best records in modern program history
• Showcased major development across every class
• Earned national respect and put Bethel back on the map
