Santa Clara Broncos
(8-4, 0-0 WCC)
Day: Thursday
Date: Sept. 21, 2023
Place: Santa Clara, Calif.
Time: 6 p.m.
Facility: Leavy Center
Video: ESPN+
Stats: portlandpilots.com
POR vs. SCU
Overall Series: 13-60
Last: H L  2-3 (2022)

San Francisco Dons
(6-6, 0-0 WCC)
Day: Saturday
Date: Sept. 23, 2023
Place: San Francisco, Calif.
Time: 1 P.M.
Facility: Sabrato Center
Video: ESPN+
Stats: portlandpilots.com
POR vs. USF
Overall Series: 35-40
Last: H W 3-1 (2022)

THIS WEEK
• The Pilots will hit the road to start their  WCC Season for the 2023 season against the Santa Clara Broncos and the San Francisco Dons.
• The matches will take place on Thursday, Sept. 21 at 6 p.m. and Saturday, Sept. 23 at 1 p.m. against Santa Clara and San Francisco, respectively.

ABOUT THE PILOTS
•The Pilots competed in the UNLV Invitational, taking on Lamar University, UNLV and Coppin State.
•The Pilots defeated Lamar University 3-0 on the first night of the tournament.
•The Pilots fell to both UNLV and Coppin State on the second and third nights of the tournament, respectively.
•Both Kili Robins and Maui Robins were named to the UNLV Invitational All-Tournament team.
• Maui Robins has been named to the all-tournament teams for the Bearkat Invitational, the University of Portland Invitational and the UNLV Invitational for the 2023 season.
• The Pilots hosted the University of Portland Invitational where they played University of Wyoming, CSUN and Eastern Washington University.
• Portland defeated CSUN in five sets.
•The Pilots fell to the Cowboys and the Eagles 2-3.
•Maui Robins was named a member of the University of Portland Invitational All-Tournament team.
• The Pilots competed in the Hornet VB Invitational in Sacramento, Calif.
• The Pilots were defeated 1-3 by both Sacramento State and San Jose State.
• Portland defeated CSU Fullerton in a comeback victory 3-2.
• The Pilots were defeated by San Jose State 1-3 in their first match of the tournament.
• Freshman Taina Kaauwai was named to the All-Tournament roster, the Pilots' second year in a row having a freshman receive all-tournament honors, with Maui Robins receiving the honors in 2022.  
• Pilots Volleyball  opened their season at the Bearkat Invitational in Huntsville, Texas.
• The Pilots won their first game of the season against TAMU--CC 3-1 and their third game against Sam Houston State 3-2.
• Maui Robins and Lia Hawken were named to the All-Tournament team.
•The Pilots currently rank No. 1 in the WCC for Total team service aces (95).
•Portland also ranks fourth in team digs (577) and team total attacks (1,597), as well as fifth in hitting percentage (.213), team assists (491), team kills (549) and team blocks (86).
• Kili Robins ranks eighth in the WCC in digs (128) in her first season in two years.
• Una Rajkovic is ranked first in the WCC in service aces, totaling 27.
•Maui Robins currently leads the WCC in total attacks with 409. She also ranks second in both kills and points with 165 and 192, respectively.
• Freshman Taina Kaauwai also ranks seventh in the conference in total blocks, totaling 43.
• 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
• Santa Clara currently sit at 8-4 for the 2023 Fall season.
•The Broncos have most recently taken on North Carolina Central University, UNC and Duke. The Broncos defeated the Eagles 3-0 before falling to the Tar Heels and Blue Devils 1-3 and 0-3, respectively.
•Santa Clara is led offensively by junior Sophia Tulino who has 166 kills, while their defense is led by junior Kat Georgiadis who has 155 digs.
• San Francisco is 6-6 for the 2023 season.
• The Dons were able to go undefeated in their home invitational, the USF Challenge, defeating San Jose State University, UT Rio Grande Valley and CSUN.
•San Francisco is led offensively by junior Maria Petkova with 117 kills, and defensively by sophomore Abby Wadas who has 188 digs.