Box Score
Seniors Orchestrate Thrilling Five Set Victory over Gonzaga in Season Finale
SPOKANE, Wash. --- Senior outside hitters Kate Bostwick and Ariel Usher combined for 38 kills while hitting over .350 to help lead the Pilots to a come-from-behind 3-2 victory (19-25, 22-25, 25-21, 25-14, 15-11) over the Gonzaga Bulldogs Thursday night at the Martin Centre. Fellow senior Rachel Femling tallied her fourth career 10-block match, in a match-up that was dominated by Portland’s seniors.
Portland (7-23, 1-15 WCC) carried all the momentum heading into the fifth set with a powerful display in the fourth set in which Usher tallied six kills with Bostwick adding four.
Gonzaga (9-19, 1-14 WCC), meanwhile, had other plans, quickly building a 9-3 cushion in the decisive set. Bostwick and sophomore middle blocker Bea Loper stuffed a Bulldog attack for Portland’s first block of the set.
That marked the beginning of the Pilots’ ramping up the defensive pressure. After the Bulldogs sided-out, Bostwick returned the serve to Portland with her 16th kill of the night, tying a career-high. Femling then followed up her first solo block of the evening with a kill of her own, injecting life into the Pilots’ rally.
A Gonzaga timeout could not slow Portland as the Pilots picked up two more points to close the gap to one at 10-9. Portland tied the set for the first time two points later with Femling and Usher – who rank sixth and seventh on UP’s career block assists list, respectively – teamed up for a double block.
Usher’s 22nd kill of the match, a season-high, forced Gonzaga’s second timeout. The timeout did nothing to stop Portland’s season-long fifth set dominance as Portland picked up the last three points courtesy of two Femling blocks, ending the season on a high note.
Portland went a perfect 6-0 in five set matches this year.
Usher’s 22 kills were two off her career-high, while Femling’s 10 blocks were one off her career-best.
Bostwick clubbed 16 kills and scooped up 18 digs for her first double-double of the season. The pride of Pendleton, Ore., tied her previous kill mark set two years ago against USF with her second highest dig match. Both were season-highs for Bostwick,
Femling finishes sixth in career block assists (247) and tied for ninth in total blocks (274).
Usher, meanwhile, finishes fifth in career kills (1,133), seventh in attacking percentage (.239) and block assists (237). She also ends her career ranked 12th in total blocks (252) and eighth in points (1298.5).
Sophomore libero Katie Mardesich recorded a season-high 24 digs, one off her career-high, to lead three Pilots in digs.
It was also the final career appearance for Jessica Nguyen, who played in one set on the night. She did not record a stat.
