PORTLAND, Ore. -- Coming off of summer training camp, the Portland Pilots Volleyball looks to push limits and raise the program to new heights. The team is coming into the season with confidence, poise and optimism as they look toward their season opener.
"Training Camp has been going well for our group," said head coach Megan Burton. "The returners have set a solid tone of competition in the gym and the newcomers are doing a good job at rising to that level. We're a new squad with a lot of untapped potential and the sky is the limit for this group. The ladies put in a lot of work this summer, getting fitter in the weight room and bonding together as a unit, and it shows. We are starting at a very high level as a cohesive unit this year."
Coach Burton said the Pilots have taken on a "focused fun" attitude this season, which has created a loose and light environment for the team to thrive in. The new tone is allowing the team to play with more fluidity and skill, as they continue to learn each other's play styles.
Here's what some of the Pilot players have to say about the team culture and how they're feeling ahead of the team's season opener.
Middle Blocker Taina Kaauwai:
"I love the team culture and I feel like we have a strong connection with each other. The chemistry is great, and I know this will help us out on the court to get things done and have fun at the same time. With the season opener coming, I am just excited to get out there and play some high-level volleyball. I want to show up and show what we are capable of and take care of the little things."
Outside Hitter Lia Hawken:
"This atmosphere is probably the best I've seen it in my time at UP. We all have a common goal in mind, and all are willing to make the sacrifices we need to get to that goal. I think this is a great group of girls and I'm just looking forward to going through this season with all of them by my side. The tournament in Texas will give us a great picture of what teams are looking like outside the WCC and give us a glimpse of what post-season may look like."
Outside Hitter Maui Robins:
"The team atmosphere we have this year is really something special. We are all really close on and off the court. Our personalities mesh so well together and our communication has been super consistent. The girls are very mature and fun to be around, which also benefits us while we're playing. There is a genuine feeling that we are trying to better ourselves and each other at the same time by building a trust that we didn't quite have last year. I think will be the game changer for us this year.
"I think our first tournament in Texas is a great opportunity for us to test our trust in game-time situations. We can observe what we need to work on, take note of it, then take it back home with us so that we can work on it in practice. We can also get a better look at our strengths on the court individually and collectively so we know what we should keep practicing going further into pre-season and conference play."
The Pilots Volleyball program will begin their 2023 Fall season this Friday, Aug. 25, at the Bearkat Invitational at Sam Houston State University. The Bearkat Invitational will see the Pilots facing off against the Corpus Christi Islanders and the Nicholls State Colonels on Aug. 25, as well as facing off against the Sam Houston State Bearkats on Aug. 26.
"I'm just looking forward to watching our team compete," said head coach Megan Burton. "I anticipate we'll learn a lot from the tournament and our goal is to continue to get 1% better with every match."
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Texas A&M Corpus Christi Islanders
(0-0, 0-0 SLC)
Day: FridayDate: Aug. 25, 2023
Place: Huntsville, Texas Time: 9:30 A.M. (PST) Facility: Bernard G. Johnson Coliseum
Video: N/A
Stats: portlandpilots.com POR vs. TAMU CC
Overall Series: 0-0
Last: N/A
Nicholls State Colonels
(0-0, 0-0 SLC)
Day: Friday
Date: Aug. 25, 2023
Place: Huntsville, Texas
Time: 12:00 P.M. (PST)
Facility: Bernard G. Johnson Coliseum
Video: N/A
Stats: portlandpilots.com
POR vs. NSU
Overall Series: 2-0
Last: 1992
Sam Houston State Bearkats
(0-0, 0-0 WAC)
Day: Saturday
Date: Aug. 26, 2023
Place: Huntsville, Texas
Time: 9:00 A.M. (PST)
Facility: Bernard G. Johnson Coliseum
Video: N/A
Stats: portlandpilots.com
POR vs. SHSU
Overall Series: 0-0
Last: N/A
THIS WEEK
• The Pilots hit the road for the Bearkat Invitational, their first tournament of the 2023 season.
• Portland is set for three matches in Houston, facing the Corpus Christi Islanders and the Nicholls State Colonels on Friday, Aug. 25 at 9:30 a.m. and 12 p.m., respectively. On Saturday, Aug. 26, the Pilots will play the home team, the Sam Houston Bearkats at 9 a.m.
• Live stats for each of the matches can be found at portlandpilots.com, and live video for all matches will not be available.
ABOUT THE PILOTS
• Megan Burton enters her fourth year as the head coach of the Pilots volleyball program, with assistant coaches Dylan Hamilton and Kyle Homeyer also returning for the 2023 season.
• The Pilots also bring back nine letter winners from the fall 2022 season.
• The program welcomes four true freshmen to The Bluff this fall in Havannah Hoeft, Tatum Isa, Maddie Corpe, and Taina Kaauwai
• Portland has also added four transfer students to their roster, including Middle Blocker Valerie Bruk out of College of San Mateo, Outside Hitter Leonie Freytag from Temple University, Setter Elena Bullemer from Hillsboro Community College and Middle Blocker Nevaeh Bray from Jackson State.
• Outside Hitter Kili Robins joins the Pilots after completing a year as the team's graduate assistant in 2022.
• Portland will be looking for leadership from returners Lia Hawken and Maui Robins, as well as their transfers to lead the team to new heights for the 2023 season. Robins earned a spot on the WCC All-Freshman team during the 2022 season, spearheaded by her offensive prowess, including 241 kills and 2.21 kills per set.
• The Pilots won both the Sacramento State Invitational and the Portland North Marriott Invitational, marking the first time the Pilots have won two tournaments in a single season since 2018.
• Jayde Harris and Noelani Helm were both voted All-WCC
• Jayde Harris became the first Pilot to be voted WCC Offensive Player of the Week twice in a single season.
ABOUT THE OPPONENTS
• Texas A&M Corpus Christi finished 13-20 overall during the 2022 season. Their top returning player is Kyndall Payne who had a total of 479 kills during the 2022 season, earning herself All-American honors in the process.
• Nicholls State concluded their 2022 season with an overall record of 7-23, including a record of 4-14 in the Southerland Conference. The Colonels return Junior Kadie Becnel, who recorded 437 digs during the 2022 season.
• Sam Houston State recorded a 8-20 record last fall, with a 5-9 record within the Western Athletic Conference. The Bearkats are returning Sophomore, Catherine Krieger, who recorded 288 kills last season.
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