Box Score

Pilots Pounce on Late Opportunities, Upend Tigers in Five

PORTLAND, Ore. --- Playing in their second five-set match of the day, the Portland Pilots volleyball team stepped up in the clutch once again on Friday night to take a 3-2 decision from the visiting Tennessee State Tigers at the Chiles Center. Junior Autumn Wedan and sophomore Emily Liger continued swinging hot hands as Wedan paced the Pilots with 17 kills and Liger sparked multiple runs as the Pilots remain unbeaten at the Nike Portland Invitational.
 
The Pilots (3-3) jumped to a huge lead in the fifth set as senior Ariel Usher energized the team, opening the set with a laser attack in the middle of Tennessee State’s (3-2) defense. As the Tigers struggled to break the Pilots run, Liger finished a pass from freshman Lexi Dempsey to give the Pilots a 9-3 advantage.
 
“I was very proud to see us come out with the kind of energy and confidence we had in the fifth set. We were united and forceful,” Portland head coach Joe Houck said following the match. “Hats off to Tennessee State on a great effort. They are a tough team.”
 
Liger then responded to a pair of TSU points with a pair of her own points, teaming up with senior Rachel Femling for a block and an 11-5 Portland lead. Tennessee States ensuing attempt to gain ground in the set ended a little later in the set with Wedan emphatically launching a kill into the middle of the open court.
 
Wedan, Liger, and Femling turned in solid performances once again for the Pilots. Coming off a career-high 20 kills earlier in the day, Wedan tallied 17 kills and seven digs against Tennessee State. Femling posted seven blocks and is averaging 0.96 blocks per set through the first six matches of the season.
 
Liger continued her early season success as well, with 14 kills on a .333 attacking percentage. In addition to pushing the Pilots forward in the fifth set, she took control late in fourth set. With the Pilots leading 17-16, Liger strung together four kills and one service ace to bump the Pilots lead to 22-19.
 
“It really gives an opening for a hot hitter to put balls away,” Houck noted on how the different rotations present opportunities for the Pilots. Of Liger specifically, Houck added, “It was her shot at that point and she took full advantage of it. It’s going to be like that a lot this season where different plays will step up for different sequences.”
 
The Nike Portland Invitational continues on Saturday morning at 11 a.m. as Tennessee State takes on the UNLV Rebels, which lost its only matchup on Friday to Idaho State. Portland will play the Rebels later Saturday with the match scheduled to start at 7:30 p.m.