Box Score
Femling Extends Pilots Win Streak to Four with Big Plays against Gauchos
PORTLAND, Ore. --- Portland senior middle blocker Rachel Femling accounted for the final two points of the match, capping off a career night from fellow senior Ariel Usher as the Portland Pilots extended their win streak to four matches with another five set victory. The win (25-23, 26-24, 22-25, 23-25, 15-13) over the UC Santa Barbara Gauchos came in the first match of the Sheraton Airport/Comcast Lobo Invitational Tournament at the Johnson Center Gymnasium Friday night.
After a kill from senior outside hitter Kate Bostwick put the Pilots (5-3) on top 13-11 in the final set, Femling stuffed a UCSB attack for her third solo block of the match. A Gaucho (5-4) kill trimmed the Pilots’ lead back to 14-12, but Femling answered immediately by depositing a kill into the right back.
“Ariel and Autumn were warriors,” Portland head coach Joe Houck said following the match. “We got key contributions from all corners of the roster in an outstanding match with a quality opponent.” Four Pilots recorded double-digit kills to give the Pilots their first four match winning streak since the 2004 season.
Usher and Femling opened the gates by lighting up the scoreboard in the first two sets with Usher posting seven kills in the first and three in the second set on .500-plus attacking percentages. On the night, Usher recorded 21 kills on a .432 attacking percentage.
Femling accounted for three kills and one block in the first set before a three block, two kill second set. Femling nearly posted a double-double with eight kills and seven blocks in the match, contributing four digs as well. She now has 35 blocks in 33 sets this year.
Junior outside hitter Autumn Wedan was once again a stable source of kills for the Pilots with 16 on the night and providing 11 digs for her second double-double of the year. After earning Nike Portland Invitational MVP honors last weekend by leading the Pilots to three consecutive five-set victories, Wedan came through in the clutch again in the fifth set with four of the Pilots eight kills in the set.
