Portland Pilots (1-9, 1-9 WCC)
at Santa Clara and vs. #24 Pepperdine
 
Santa Clara Broncos
(1-3, 1-3 WCC)
 
Day: Monday and Tuesday
Date: Mar. 8 and 9, 2021
Place: Santa Clara, Calif.
Time: 4:00 P.M. (Mon.) 2:00 P.M. (Tues.)
Facility: Leavey Center
Video: portlandpilots.com
Stats: portlandpilots.com
 
POR vs. SCU
Overall Series: 12-56
H: 6-27 • A: 6-28 • N: 0-1
Last: SCU 3, @POR 0 (11.14.19)
 
#24 Pepperdine Waves
(9-2, 9-1 WCC)
 
Day: Friday and Saturday
Date: Mar. 12 and 13, 2021
Place: Portland, Ore.
Time: 1:00 P.M.
Facility: Chiles Center
Video: portlandpilots.com
Stats: portlandpilots.com
 
POR vs. PEP
Overall Series: 6-60
H: 4-29 • A: 2-31 • N: 0-0
Last: PEP 3, @POR 0 (11.2.19)
 
THIS WEEK
• The Pilots are on the road in Santa Clara, Calif. for two matches with the Santa Clara Broncos on Monday and Tuesday, before returning home to host two matches against the No. 25 Pepperdine Waves on Friday and Saturday.
• Monday's match with Santa Clara is set for 4:00 p.m., and Tuesday's match is set for a 2:00 p.m. start time.
• The Pepperdine contests on Friday and Saturday will take place in the Chiles Center, with both games starting at 1:00 p.m.
• Live stats and live video for all the matches can be found at portlandpilots.com.
 
QUOTE FROM HEAD COACH MEGAN BURTON
"We're back in action this week! It's been a long but productive break from our last match. We were able to get quality practices in and continue to get 2% better. We continue to focus on taking care of our side of the net. As every WCC match is, it will be a battle again this week. We're ready to go."
 
LAST WEEK
• The Pilots are coming off of a short break following the postponement of the matches with Santa Clara until this week.
• Portland went to five sets for the third time this year in the first of two road games against Saint Mary's on Feb. 23, where the Gaels prevailed 3-2. Saint Mary's also collected a 3-0 win in the second match on Feb. 24.
 
ABOUT THE PILOTS
• Senior Carey Williams leads the WCC in digs this 2020-21 season, collecting 223 on the year and averaging 5.44 digs per set.
• Megan Burton was promoted as the head coach of the Pilots volleyball program in January 2020. Aven Lee joined the staff as an assistant coach in March.
• The Pilots return nine letter winners from the 2019 season, including All-WCC Honorable Mention honoree and outside hitter Liz Reich.
• The program welcomed five true freshmen to The Bluff this summer.
• Portland's freshmen class is made up of RS/MB Jiana Lawson, MB Nevaeh Bray, OH Mia Wesley, OH Ryann Gregg, and MB Chelsey Harmon.
• The Pilots saw three seniors graduate last spring in Katie Barker, Shayla Hoeft, and Emma Scanlan.
• Williams is currently the fourth all-time individual career record holder in digs at 1610. Williams currently holds the all-time individual season record in digs per set at 5.44 during this 2020-21 season. Her 534 digs during the 2018 season also places her third all-time for an individual season record.
• True freshman Mia Wesley leads the team in kills to start the 2020-21 season, accumulating 125 so far.
• The Pilots are in fourth place in the WCC this 2020-21 season for digs, averaging 15.78 per set as a team.
 
ABOUT THE OPPONENTS
• Santa Clara (1-3, 1-3 WCC) is currently ninth in WCC standings, one spot above the Pilots. The Broncos went 1-1 with Pacific on Feb. 23 and 24 before going on pause last week.
• Julia Sangiacomo leads the Broncos in kills this season with 59, and is averaging 3.69 per set.
• In the Broncos' last match against Pacific, Sangiacomo finished with a game-high 13 kills. Gretchen Reinert contributed 14 digs in the 3-0 win over the Tigers.
• No. 24 Pepperdine (8-1, 8-2 WCC) is currently second in WCC standings, and most recently collected two wins over Gonzaga this past week.
• Rachel Ahrens leads the Waves in kills this season with 161, and is averaging 4.13 per set.
• Ahrens provided 27 kills for the Waves in their last match, a 3-2 triumph over the Bulldogs. Shannon Scully registered a double-double for Pepperdine in the same game with 15 kills and 15 digs.