Box Score Box Score
MALIBU, Calif. -- For the second match in a row freshman Ariel Usher led the Pilot attack, posting 11 kills on a .260 hitting percentage, yet Portland was unable to overcome West Coast Conference opponent Pepperdine falling in four sets on Thursday evening at the Firestone Fieldhouse. The third-place Waves won the hard-fought match by scores of 25-13, 21-25, 25-14 and 25-13.
Portland (5-19, 1-8 WCC) held a tight blocking battle 8.0 -9.0 against Pepperdine (13-10, 6-4) in a match that featured 10 ties and five lead changes.
12 Pilots saw court time and six players contributed two or more kills. In addition to her 11 kills, Usher also contributed four blocks. Fellow freshman Kate Bostwick helped fuel the Pilot attack posting seven kills with a team-high .300 hitting percentage. She also sent over one service ace and got behind one dig.
Senior Shelley Sievers recorded a co-match-high six blocks and also added seven kills on .200 hitting.
Junior Danielle Dupar had a match-high 20 digs and also added a service ace.
Setters senior Kaylyn Jones and freshman Madison Smith dished out 20 and 14 assists respectively.
Portland opened the first set with a 6-5 advantage following a kill by redshirt freshman Rachel Femling. From there, Pepperdine put together a three-point run that put the Waves up 9-6. A joint effort on the attack with kills from sophomore Marissa Plummer, Sievers and Usher kept the Pilots close but trailing at 12-10. Pepperdine then sparked a 5-0 streak and sped off to win the set 25-13.
Pepperdine jumped to an 8-4 lead in the second set but the Pilots rallied back to tie it up at 11-11. The two teams traded points and reached tie game again at 17-17 and 19-19. Then a Sievers kill ignited a 3-0 run for the Pilots capped by a Maria Clemens kill that put them up 22-19. UP retained the lead and claimed the set victory with an Usher kill. Portland hit .346 in the second frame led by Usher’s five kills. Sievers posted four block assists.
The Waves came out strong in the third set racing to a 9-3 advantage and then extended it to enjoy the longest lead of the set at 24-10. Portland rallied back to fend off four consecutive set points bringing the score to 24-14. But the Waves sealed the set off a kill from Fiers.
The fourth set was more of the same with the hot-hitting Waves hitting .438 for the set. Pepperdine led early at 9-4 and kept rolling to close out the match at 25-13.
Pepperdine was led by three players with double-digits in kills. Kim Hill led both teams with 17 kills. Victoria Adelhelm posted 16 kills while Rachel Grochmal added 12 kills. Setter Kiah Fiers had a match-high 51 assists.
Up next, Portland faces WCC opponent Loyola Marymount on Saturday, Nov. 7. Opening serve is slated for 1:00 p.m. in the Gersten Pavilion in Los Angeles, Calif.
