Box Score Box Score
IOWA CITY, IA. --- The Portland Pilots put up a battle against Tulsa Saturday morning, but fell short 3-1 (23-25, 22-25, 25-20, 20-25) in the Pilots’ second match of the Hawkeye Challenge at the Carver-Hawkeye Arena. The result moves Portland to a 4-10 record, while Tulsa improves to 13-1 and a ten-match winning streak.
Portland had three players connect on 10 or more kills this match. Senior Jennifer Sheedy finished with a team-high 12 kills to go with her five total blocks, including one solo. Senior Ashley Grayson played well on both sides of the ball with 11 kills and nine digs. Also falling just short of a double-double, junior Maria Clemens finished with nine kills and 13 digs. Freshman Marissa Plummer posted 10 kills and five total blocks, including two solo rejections.
Defensively, sophomore Danielle Dupar cut into the Tulsa offense with a team-high 14 digs for the Pilots.
The first two sets were a back-and-forth affair with the teams tied up at 23-23 in the first and 20-20 in the second. Tulsa would squeeze out the win in both sets.
Portland quickly racked up points at the start of the third, courtesy of a service ace from junior setter Kaylyn Jones and a kill from Sheedy, but couldn’t shake the Golden Hurricane. At 4-4, the Pilots earned the lead with a kill by Grayson, and would never fall behind again that set. But Tulsa wasn’t handing over the set without a battle, and would close the score at 6-5 and then again at 11-10. Fired up by a three-point streak that widened the lead to 14-10, Portland charged ahead in what would be a great team effort to win the set. Kills came from the entire line-up including setter Jones, and senior K.C. Fox sent over two back-to-back service aces.
The fourth set began all-Portland with the Pilots jumping to a 3-1 lead. But at 5-5 Tulsa would earn the lead and push ahead to 12-7. Rallying back, the Pilots would again flip the score back in their favor at 15-14. After a flurry of attacks that saw the lead exchange several times between the teams, Tulsa would re-gain control at 20-19 and never look back.
Portland hit .201 for the match, while Tulsa finished with a .284 attacking percentage. It was the first meeting ever between the two teams.
Golden Hurricane senior transfer Beth Hodge finished with a match-high 18 kills and got a double-double with 13 digs.
Portland continues play this afternoon, finishing the tournament against DePaul at 2:30 p.m. at the Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Live statistics will be available again courtesy of www.hawkeyesports.com.
