Box Score Box Score
PORTLAND, Ore. --- The Gonzaga Bulldogs defeated the Portland Pilots 3-2 in an action-packed, back-and-forth West Coast Conference volleyball match Saturday afternoon at the Chiles Center. Portland had three match points in the fifth set, but Gonzaga came back to win 18-25, 26-24, 20-25, 29-27 and 20-18.
Freshman outside hitter Ariel Usher led the Pilots (5-18, 1-7 WCC) with a season-high 22 kills, doubling her previous high. Junior Jessica Clemens recorded her team-leading ninth double-double with 18 kills and 11 digs. Sophomore middle blocker Marissa Plummer added a career-high 15 kills and team-high eight blocks. Senior Maria Clemens also had a double-double with 10 kills and 16 digs.
Redshirt freshman Rachel Femling had a season high with nine kills, while junior libero Danielle Dupar was everywhere as she logged a career-high 34 digs. Senior setter Kaylyn Jones had 43 assists and 10 digs.
Michelle Boevers led three Gonzaga (9-13, 4-4) players in double figure kills with 19. Emily Johnson and Layne Brosky added 12 and 10 kills, respectively.
After splitting the first two sets, Portland held a small lead throughout most of the fifth set until Gonzaga used a 4-1 run capped by a Boevers service ace to gain a 10-9 lead. Caitlin Cozad’s block made it 13-11 Bulldogs, but the Pilots evened the score at 14-14. Portland snuffed two more Gonzaga match points and a block by Usher and Shelley Sievers gave Portland a 16-15 lead. Kaprina Goodwin provided a GU kill and then Jessica Clemens answered to give UP another match point. Clemens’ jump serve went into the net, but Usher’s kill gave Portland an 18-17 edge. Gonzaga would get consecutive kills by Brosky and then a blocking error by the Pilots gave the Zags the 20-18 victory.
The fourth set was just as dramatic as Portland had two more match points, but couldn’t convert. There were 13 ties and six lead changes before the Bulldogs finally won, 29-27.
Portland controlled the first and third sets with ease, but Gonzaga managed to sneak away with three sets, all by two point margins.
Portland had an 83-61 edge in total kills and hit .235 compared to Gonzaga’s .232. The Pilots also gained an 85-65 edge in digs, while both teams had 13.0 team blocks.
WCC action continues next week for the Pilots in Southern California. Portland will face Pepperdine on Thursday, Nov. 5 at 7 p.m. and then take on LMU on Saturday, Nov. 7 at 1 p.m.
