Box Score Box Score
PORTLAND, Ore. – Freshman Kate Bostwick stole the spotlight on Senior Day posting a match-high 12 kills on .500 hitting as the Pilots dismantled West Coast Conference opponent Santa Clara 3-0 (25-18, 25-18, 25-22) on Saturday at the Chiles Center. Senior Maria Clemens helped lead the way with 10 kills and 10 digs for her third double-double this season.
Portland (6-21, 2-10 WCC) led in all categories as it went on to record its first win against the Broncos (15-12, 5-7) since 1994 and its first sweep against a WCC opponent since 2006. The Pilots dominated the blocking battle 12.0-4.0 and out-dug their opponents 38-34, while hitting .312 for the match to Santa Clara’s .162.
In addition to her 12 kills, Bostwick also added three service aces, three blocks and three digs. Maria Clemens also put up three blocks to complement her 10 kills and 10 digs.
Three Pilot players hit better than .300 in the match and Portland committed just 14 errors. Freshman Ariel Usher recorded nine kills on 19 swings for a .368 hitting efficiency, while redshirt freshman Rachel Femling tallied five kills on a .364 hitting efficiency to complement four blocks.
Sophomore Marissa Plummer had a match-high eight blocks marking the 11th match this season she has posted four blocks or more.
Junior Danielle Dupar came up with a match-high 12 digs and now has 977 career digs, good enough for 10th all-time at UP.
Senior setter Kaylyn Jones, playing in her final home match of her career along with seniors Maria Clemens and Shelley Sievers, dished out 17 assists. She also got behind seven digs. Freshman Madison Smith dished out 18 assists for the team-high.
The two teams battled evenly to begin the first set before Portland used kills from Bostwick and Usher to capitalize on some Bronco errors to jump out to a 15-10 advantage. The Pilots kept rolling to a 19-12 lead on a block from Femling and Plummer that forced a Santa Clara timeout. From there, the teams exchanged points to bring the score to 23-16 as the Pilots retained a seven-point lead. A kill by Plummer and then one by Bostwick from a Smith pass ended the set.
Portland came out inspired in the second set, racing to an early 8-2 lead that included three service aces from Bostwick. With the Pilots ahead by six, 11-5, the Broncos used a 3-0 run to cut the score to 11-8 and would continue to inch closer until 16-15. Portland denied the tie by scoring three consecutive points forcing Santa Clara coach Jon Wallace to call a timeout. UP came out of the break to notch another point off a powerful block from Plummer and Maria Clemens to sit at 20-15. Portland used the strong serving of Maria Clemens to go on a 5-3 run capped by another set-winning Bostwick kill from Smith.
Portland jumped out to an early 3-1 lead in the third set before battling to 11 ties until 22-22. A Maria Clemens kill followed by a block from Sievers and Usher set the Pilots up with match point. Bostwick again had something to do with closing out the set as she sent over the service leading to a Bronco error sealing the match victory for Portland.
Santa Clara was led by 10 kills from Krista Kelley and a match-high 28 assists from Emily Burke.
Next up, the Pilots play their final two matches of the year in California against WCC opponents San Diego on Thursday, Nov. 19 at 7:00 p.m. and Saint Mary’s on Saturday, Nov. 21 at 1:00 p.m.
