Box Score Box Score
PORTLAND, Ore. – The Portland Pilots volleyball team fell to the American University Eagles in a high-energy five-set battle Saturday on the second day of the Nike Invitational at the Chiles Center. AU claimed the win by scores of 14-25, 25-14, 25-19, 16-25, 15-4.
In the last meeting between the two teams on Thursday night, the Pilots (2-4) handed the Eagles (1-5) a 3-1 defeat. This time the two teams exchanged sets in hot-and-cold fashion before the Eagles put away the match win calmly in the fifth.
Junior Jessica Clemens headed the squad’s offensive efforts posting a match-high 17 kills and 13 digs for her second consecutive double-double and third of the season.
Sophomore Marissa Plummer was a force on both sides of the net registering eight kills and a season-high nine blocks, including one block solo.
Senior Maria Clemens finished the match with a career-high six blocks and also added eight kills.
Freshman Ariel Usher turned in one of her finest matches in a UP uniform recording six kills on .455 hitting with a career-high six blocks total.
Junior Danielle Dupar led the way defensively for the Pilots posting 22 digs. Setters freshman Madison Smith and senior Kaylyn Jones dished out 24 and 16 assists, respectively.
Portland and American battled closely to begin the first set before a kill by Jessica Clemens sparked a 4-0 UP run to earn them the lead at 9-4. The Pilots followed with another 4-1 run, capped by an all-freshman block assist from Usher and Kate Bostwick. From there, Portland extended its lead to 21-11 and the Pilots rolled to the 25-14 set-victory.
The Pilots raced to a 4-1 advantage in the second set with Plummer having a hand in three of the four points from all over the court (one kill, one service ace, one block assist). The Eagles quickly rebounded with a 6-0 run of their own and never looked back, claiming a 25-14 set win.
Portland jumped out to a 5-2 lead in the third set and kept building on that to take a 14-9 advantage after a block assist from Plummer and Maria Clemens. AU rallied with a blocking extravaganza putting up seven of a match total 12 blocks in the third set. The Eagles claimed the lead at 15-14 and raced to the 25-19 set victory with a 10-5 run.
The Pilots owned the fourth set courtesy of a strong defensive performance at the net. UP out-blocked AU 6-0, tying the Eagles in both digs and kills on the set. After a Jessica Clemens kill put the Pilots ahead at 5-4, they would enjoy their largest lead of the set at 21-13. The blocking duo of Maria Clemens and Plummer scored three of Portland’s last four points to seal the win and force a fifth set.
It was an all-American fifth and deciding set with the Eagles making back-to-back 5-0 runs that put them comfortably at 10-1. Claire Recht hammered home the match win with a kill for the Eagles.
American was led by Angelina Waterman’s double-double of 13 kills and 12 digs. Magdalena Tekiel had the team-high 15 kills, while Rebecca Heath got behind 21 digs. Krysta Cicala threw up a match-high 38 assists for the Eagles. American head coach Barry Goldberg now sits just one win away from 500 career wins (499-189 overall).
Portland returns to the court Saturday night to face New Mexico in the last match of the Nike Invitational. The first serve is set for 7:00 p.m.
For all of the latest information on Portland Pilots volleyball, please visit www.portlandpilots.com. Follow the Pilots on Twitter at www.twitter.com/PortlandPilots and Assistant Coach Sara Reilly on Twitter at www.twitter.com/UPVolleyball.
