Box Score Box Score
SAN DIEGO, CALIF. --- Ashley Grayson’s double-double helped the Pilots put up an early battle against the No. 16 San Diego Toreros, but Portland ultimately lost 3-1 (25-19, 20-25, 17-25, 18-25) Saturday afternoon at the Jenny Craig Pavilion in San Diego, Calif. Portland held the lead early in three of the four sets, claiming the first, but the defending WCC Champion Toreros were too strong. This was the second match of WCC play for both teams.
With the loss, the Pilots move to a 5-12 (0-2 WCC) record, after a 3-0 defeat by USF on Friday. Meanwhile, USD improves to 12-2 (2-0 WCC), extending the Torero winning streak to three, thanks to previous wins against WCC opponent Gonzaga and preseason opponent Seattle.
The Pilots had two players break into double digits in kills, with senior Jennifer Sheedy posting the team high of 17 kills (.400 hitting percentage) and senior Ashley Grayson connecting on 11 kills. Grayson also notched up 10 digs giving her the double-double.
Junior setter Kaylyn Jones orchestrated the Pilot attack, finishing with 34 assists while also delivering two kills to the Torero side. Sophomore Danielle Dupar got under 14 digs giving her the team high for the second straight game as well as tying her for match high with Torero junior libero Andrea Csaszi. Freshman Marissa Plummer had the match high in blocks with four, including one block solo.
Match high in kills went to USD Torero Ali Troost with 18 kills, and match high in assists went to Torero Jessica Nyrop with 41 assists.
Portland led the defending WCC Champion Toreros from the first serve of the first set, courtesy of a forceful Pilot offense. Kills from Sheedy (3), Grayson (3), Clemens (1) as well as a block assist from Marissa Plummer and K.C. Fox, all contributed to an 8-2 leap in the Pilots favor. USD threatened to sneak back, tightening the lead to within just two points at 16-14. But Fox delivered a service ace that energized the Pilots ahead to a 21-15 lead, before sealing the set.
The second set saw an exchange of lead several times, with USD leading early before Portland moved in front at 10-9. There the Pilots would go on a senior led three-point streak with kills from Sheedy, Grayson and Fox, allowing the team to enjoy a 13-9 lead. But the No. 16 USD clung on to equalize at 15-15, which was followed up with a strong Torero push that closed out the set 25-20.
Another senior-led attack launched the Pilots to a 4-1 early lead in the third set, with kills from Fox and Grayson and a Sheedy-Fox block assist. The rest of the set would be a back-and-forth affair with the Toreros gaining the upper hand at 5-4. Portland rallied back to regain the lead at 9-8 before USD would yet again take it back at 13-12. A four-point streak by the Toreros, fired by a lethal attack of three kills from sophomore Ali Troost, a 2007 All-WCC Freshman selection, would give USD enough momentum to easily finish the set.
Yet again, the Pilots came out strong from the start, to lead the fourth and final set at 4-2. This time, USD would reclaim the lead at 5-6, and never look back.
The Pilots return home to the northwest to prepare for next weekend’s match-ups against WCC opponents Santa Clara on Thursday October, 9 at 7:00 p.m and Saint Mary’s on Saturday October 11 at 1:00 p.m. Portland hosts both matches at the Chiles Center in Portland, Ore.
Live stats and a live video feed are available for both the matches. Visit the volleyball schedule at portlandpilots.com for direct links.
