Box Score Usher Named to All-Tournament Team but Georgia Southern Tops Pilots at Lobo Invitational
 
ALBUQUERQUE, NM --- Senior outside hitter Ariel Usher exploded for eight kills in the third set alone en route to 15 in the match, but the Portland Pilots lost the final match of the Sheraton Airport/Comcast Lobo Invitational Tournament at the Johnson Center Gymnasium to the Georgia Southern Eagles (25-17, 25-16, 18-25, 25-23). Usher, who added five blocks and four digs, was named to the All-Tournament Team following Saturday’s match.
 
Portland (5-5) never trailed in the third set after opening the set with a 3-0 lead, although Georgia Southern (6-4) threatened twice. Usher’s senior leadership was there with an answer both times, anchoring a 6-1 run and a 6-2 run at different points in the set.
 
“We really stepped up in sets three and four tonight,” Portland head coach Joe Houck noted. “It is asking a lot to play back-to-back matches at this level of play, and I am very proud of how our team handled difficult situations this weekend.”
 
Early in the set, the Eagles closed the Pilots lead to one at 9-8 before senior outside hitter Kate Bostwick got the run started. Usher continued the swift in momentum with three kills in the span of five points as the Eagles struggled to find a way to stop the 6-1 senior.
 
Bostwick and Usher’s offensive prowess caused more trouble for Georgia Southern as the Eagles tried to assemble a comeback. With the Pilots lead sitting at 19-16, Bostwick picked up another kill, her third of the set, to queue another rally. After a Georgia Southern timeout, Bostwick would add another kill before the Pilots switched back to Usher for the final two points of the set.
 
Bostwick finished with nine kills and seven digs in the match. Portland’s middle blockers provided a spark as well, with senior Rachel Femling hitting .429 with seven kills and two blocks as sophomore Bea Loper tallied nine kills and five blocks.
 
“Bea is really progressing as an offensive force,” added Houck, “and we got solid contributions from Christina, Katie, and Jess off the bench.” Harris, Mardesich, and Nguyen combined for 16 digs for the Pilots on the night.
 
Usher, meanwhile, finished with 15 kills on a .419 attacking percentage with five blocks to secure her second consecutive All-Tournament Team honors. Usher amassed 47 kills in the three match tournament at an impressive .354 clip. She also added nine blocks during the three matches to average 4.33 points per set.
 
“I just worked to help the team anyway possible,” Usher said afterwards. “We moved positions a lot this tournament and everyone did a great job adapting to the changes, helping the team and our chemistry.”
 
Houck chimed in with praise for Usher, “Ariel was ferocious today and all tournament and she was rewarded for her efforts.”
 
The Pilots return to Chiles Center for a quick stay on The Bluff. Portland will play its last home non-conference match of the season on Tuesday at 7 p.m. against the No. 7 Washington Huskies before heading to the Penn State Tournament next weekend.