Box Score
SANTA CLARA, Calif. --- Senior Shelley Sievers and freshman Ariel Usher both recorded career highs in kills, but the Portland volleyball team was unable to prevail as Santa Clara topped the Pilots 3-1 in a West Coast Conference match Thursday night at the Leavey Center. The Broncos won by scores of 25-20, 20-25, 25-20 and 25-20.
Sievers led the way for the Pilots with 12 kills on .733 hitting, demolishing her previous career high (eight kills versus Seattle University, 9/30), and also added a match-high five blocks. Meanwhile Usher had a career-high 11 kills, breaking through her previous record of eight (twice, versus Fresno State, 9/19; against American, 9/3), and had three blocks. Santa Clara (11-8, 1-3 WCC) was led by 19 kills from Lindsy Davigeadono and 10 from Dana Knudson.
The Pilots (5-14, 1-3 WCC) dropped the first set before rebounding to claim the lead in the second at 6-5. Portland extended its lead to six-points at 18-12 but the Broncos galloped back to tighten the score at 19-17. UP held strong with two points from Sievers (a kill and a block assist) and three from Usher (two kills and a block assist) carried the Pilots to the 25-20 set victory.
In the third set Santa Clara surged to a 5-0 early lead and enjoyed their longest lead of the frame at 16-9. Portland answered back with a 7-3 run bringing them to 19-16 thanks to kills from three different Pilots and capped by three consecutive points from sophomore Marissa Plummer (in the form of a block solo, block assist and a kill). But the Broncos would win the race to 25 outhitting UP 15-8 in kills.
It was a back-and-forth affair to start the fourth and must-win set for the Pilots. The score was tied five times before the Broncos took the lead at 8-7. SCU then proceeded to storm ahead on a 5-0 run to bring the score to 12-7. Portland was able to close the score to within three points at 23-20 thanks to .400 hitting on the set but the Broncos would ultimately seal the match win.
Junior Danielle Dupar led the Pilots on defense with 14 digs, while senior Kaylyn Jones posted 32 assists.
Portland continues its Bay Area road trip on Saturday against San Francisco at 1:00 p.m. in the War Memorial Gym.
