Box Score I
Box Score (pdf)PORTLAND, Ore. --- The Santa Clara Broncos topped the Portland Pilots on a Saturday afternoon WCC showdown at the Chiles Center. Portland (6-18, 1-12 WCC) was led by sophomores Katie Sullivan and Makayla Lindburg who each compiled five kills during the match.
Santa Clara (20-7, 10-4 WCC) topped the Pilots with set scores of 25-16, 25-11, and 25-14.
The Broncos showed why they are ranked fourth in the nation in aces per set when senior Taylor Milton earned two service aces to extend the early Santa Clara lead to five at 9-4. Santa Clara continued to lead through the first set, but with the score at 20-9 the Pilots made a six point run to cut the lead to five. The Broncos responded, scoring five of the last six points of the game to take the first set. Senior Katie Mardesich recorded two service aces during the set and a trio of Pilots in Sullivan, Lindburg and freshman Sarah Savoca each had two kills.
Freshman Morgan Robinson ended a long rally between the two sides when she earned her first kill of the match on a cross court hit that brought the Pilots within two of the Broncos at 5-7. Santa Clara and Portland were close until the Broncos used a 9-3 run in the middle of the set to pull away and put the scoreline at 20-10. From there Santa Clara finished the game taking a 2-0 lead heading into the break. Defensively, freshman Ali Koumelis led the team with five digs during the set.
Santa Clara took the third set 25-14 giving them their 10
th conference win of the season and keeping them at second place in the WCC standings.
The Pilots head down to California next week to take on Pacific on Thursday, Nov. 13 at 7:00 p.m. and Saint Mary's on Saturday, Nov. at 1:00 p.m.