North Newton, Kan. — In front of one of the most energized crowds of the season, Bethel volleyball nearly pulled off an upset against No. 9-ranked Oklahoma Wesleyan, falling just short in a five-set battle (16-25, 26-24, 14-25, 25-23, 14-16).
The Eagles jumped out quickly in set one, capitalizing on Bethel errors to build an 8-0 lead before cruising to a 25-16 win. The Threshers showed their resilience in set two. Trailing 20-18, Bethel strung together a run fueled by Cameron Offerle at the net and tough serving from Dalaina Schutte and Dylan Cochran. Twice facing set point, the Threshers dug in, ultimately finishing with back-to-back kills — including Offerle hammering one down from the outside — to claim the 26-24 victory and even the match.
Oklahoma Wesleyan responded in set three, hitting .455 as a team while storming out to a 20-10 lead en route to a 25-14 win. But the fourth set showcased Bethel's heart. Down 11-6 early and later trailing 20-17, the Threshers clawed back behind Offerle, who delivered three late kills, and Crow, who paired with the block to stymie OKWU's attack. Bethel ripped off an 8-3 run to close the set, capped by a kill from Langley Barger, to take it 25-23 and force a deciding fifth.
The atmosphere inside Thresher Gym was deafening as both teams traded blows in the final frame. Bethel fought back from a 9-6 deficit to tie it at 10-10, then took a 14-13 lead on another Offerle kill. Just two points away from a season-defining upset, the Threshers couldn't quite finish, as OKWU rattled off the final three points to escape 16-14.
Offerle was unstoppable, recording 26 kills on 69 swings while adding 11 digs. Crow anchored the defense at the net with eight kills and seven blocks. Schutte kept the offense flowing with 39 assists and chipped in two aces, while Cochran added two aces of her own during key momentum swings. Bethel finished with 52 kills and pushed the Eagles to the brink, earning the respect of the packed Thresher Gym crowd.
While the result goes down as a loss, it was one of the best performances of the year for the Threshers, proving they can battle toe-to-toe with one of the nation's top programs.
