Box Score Volleyball Pushes Kansas State to Five Games in 2013 Opener

Box Score

LAS VEGAS, Nev. --- The University of Portland volleyball team opened the 2013 regular season with a 3-2 loss to the Kansas State Wildcats on Friday night at the UNLV Invitational. Portland senior Autumn Wedan racked up a career-high 32 kills as the Pilots pushed Kansas State, a perennial NCAA Tournament program, to five games.

The Wildcats (1-0) won 24-26, 25-19, 25-23, 19-25 and 15-11. Senior setter Monica Jordan racked up 44 assists, while Wedan added 10 digs for a double-double. Sophomore Emily Liger added 13 kills in her first action back from a 2012 season-ending knee injury.

A total of five Portland freshmen made their collegiate debuts, led by Makayla Lindburg with 12 kills.

The Pilots (0-1) led nearly the entirety of the first game and were able to clinch the 1-0 lead on back-to-back kills by Wedan and fellow senior outside hitter Christina Harris. Wedan had eight kills in the first set to go with five digs while Portland hit .567 as a team.

The Wildcats evened the match with a 25-19 win in the second game. Wedan accumulated nine kills on 14 attempts, while Jordan chipped in with nine assists. Kansas State's defense stepped up with four blocks.
 
Kansas State barely came away with the third game 25-23 on Kansas State's Chelsea Keating fifth kill of the game. Wedan gathered five kills, but the Pilots as a team only managed a .132 attack percentage.
 
Portland came roaring back to force a fifth and final game by winning the fourth 25-19. Wedan led the charge with seven kills, while Lindburg and Liger added four a piece.
 
In the fifth and final game, the Pilots were unable to close out the match and lost 15-11. The Wildcats were able to finish strong with a team attack percentage of .643, while the Pilots were only able to complete .200 of their attacks.
 
Despite the loss, it was a solid start to the Pilots season, and will look to build off their solid performance with a pair of matches on Saturday to conclude the UNLV Invitational. Portland faces the host Rebels at noon and then take on Cal State Fullerton at 5 p.m. For complete tournament coverage, include live video and stats, click here.