Head Coach Doug Sparks

Portland, ORE. --- The Portland Pilots volleyball team would fall in its first home WCC match at the Chiles Center this season 0-3 to Loyola Marymount Thursday night. The Pilots fell 27-30, 30-21, 30-20. Portland is now 7-9 overall and 0-3 in West Coast Conference play. The Pilots were led by junior Jennifer Sheedy who finished with 10 kills for the match.

Loyola Marymount improves to 9-6 overall and 1-1 in the WCC. The Lions were led by senior Heather Hughes who finished with 17 kills and 12 digs. 

Game one was tight as neither team could build a lead of more then three points at any time. LMU went up early in game one 5-3 but the Pilots responded to tie the game at 5-5 on a block by Grayson.  Portland took an 8-6 lead on back-to-back kills by freshmen Jessica Clemens and junior Ashley Grayson. Sheedy got involved with a kill and block to put the Portland up 11-8.  The Lions scored the next three points and tie the game at 11-11 on a kill by Renee Horton. LMU would a three point lead going up 18-15.  Back-to-back blocks by the Pilots would cut the Lions lead to one point 18-17. UP would tie the game at 20-20 on a kill by Grayson. Loyola Marymount would go up 28-25 and go on to win the game 30-27. The Pilots managed to hit 263. for the game but hurt themselves with six service errors. Sheedy had six kill for the Pilots.

Portland took an early 4-1 lead in game two on an ace by Jessica Clemens. LMU found its stride and went on a huge 14-1 run taking a 15-5 lead.  The LMU run was finally put to a stop on a kill by Jessica Clemens. An ace by Grayson cut the LMU lead to seven points making the score 17-10. A kill by sophomore Maria Clemens made it a five point game with the Lions up 20-15.  An attacking error by the Lions brought the LMU lead down to three 20-17. The Lions would build the lead back to six points going up 27-21. LMU would win the game 30-21. Loyola Marymount was led by senior Jania Morton who had six kills for the game.

The Pilots took an early 7-4 lead in game three on a kill by Grayson. Another kill by Grayson allowed the Pilots to maintain the three point lead going up 11-8.  The Lions fought back to tie the game at 11-11. LMU would take a 15-12 lead on an ace by Horton.  A kill by Hughes pushed the Lions lead to five points 17-12.  LMU would extend the lead to seven points going up 20-13. The Pilots would get the next three points which included a well placed kill by Maria Clemens to a make it a 20-16 game forcing the Lions to take a time out. A kill by Grayson made it a three point game with LMU up 20-17.  Loyola Marymount would get back on track by going on a 6-1 run and push the lead back to eight points going up 26-18. The Lions would take game three 30-20.

Jessica Clemens finished with seven kills and a team-high 17 digs. Grayson had 8 kills and six total blocks and Maria Clemens ended up with nine kills and four total blocks for the match.

Portland will look for its first WCC win the Saturday as they host the Pepperdine Waves at 1:00 p.m.