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PORTLAND, Ore. --- Sophomore setter Madison Smith posted another double-double with 32 assists and 10 digs as the Portland Pilots swept the Loyola Marymount Lions (25-22, 25-20, 25-16) Saturday afternoon at the Chiles Center. Senior libero Danielle Dupar, honored as the only Pilot senior in a pre-match ceremony, posted 13 digs in her final career home match.
Portland (11-18, 4-9 WCC) earned its first sweep of the Lions (15-13, 6-6 WCC) since the 2005 season with a balanced attack. Five Pilots recorded six kills, led by junior outside hitter Kati Hronek. Trailing 19-17 in the second set, the Pilots capitalized on a big run to capture the momentum of the match. With LMU serving, redshirt-sophomore Rachel Femling finished a feed from Smith to spark an 8-1 run that was sealed by a Hronek kill.
The Lions responded in the opening portion of the third set with a 5-3 lead but the Pilots held their ground to take a 12-10 lead. After an ace from LMU’s Olivia Bailey, The Pilots exploded on another 8-1 run with Smith spreading the ball to a variety of attackers to keep the Lions’ defense off-balance. Portland cruised the rest of the way, finishing the set and the match with a 25-16 margin.
“I thought our ball control was strong and for one of the first times all season, we actually put our will on a match,” Pilots head coach Joe Houck added afterwards. “Madi was really consistent tonight and that gave her the ability to move the ball around and that was really the difference today.”
Dupar, a 5-5 libero from Corte Madera, Calif., has experienced a successful stint in her time on The Bluff. With 13 digs today, she has now recorded 544 digs on the season, 15 shy of the school record. With 5.49 digs per set, however, she clinched the school record in that category and is one of only three Pilots to have ever averaged more than 5.00 digs per set in a season.
The Pilots play their 2010 season finale next Saturday, November 20, against the Gonzaga Bulldogs at noon. Portland defeated the Bulldogs earlier this season in five sets.
