PULLMAN, Wash. -- The Pilots totaled a season-high 16 blocks en route to a four-set win (28-26, 12-25, 25-15, 25-18) against the Washington State Cougars Thursday on the road at Bohler Gym. The victory marked Portland's first-ever win over Washington State. Pilots moved up to 13-14 overall and 8-8 in WCC play, the most conference wins of Coach Megan Burton's tenure and the program's second-best WCC season in history.
The Pilots were led by Maui Robins' eighth double-double, posting 12 kills and 11 digs on the day. Elin Larsson also added 13 kills to help the attack. On the defensive end, Havannah Hoeft chipped in for with eight digs to go with eight blocks from Taina Kaauwai and Nevaeh Bray.
Game Notes
» Maui Robins registered eighth double-double of the season with 12 kills and 11 digs
» The Portland front row did a great job defensively, picking up season-high 16 blocks in the match. Nevaeh Bray and Taina Kaauwai both led the match with season-high eight blocks.
» Elin Larsson had a team-high 13 kills for Portland.
» Portland got a match-high 11 digs from Maui Robins.
» Taina Kaauwai had a team-high two aces in the win.
» Portland attackers were helped by a match-high 40 assists from Havannah Hoeft.
How It Happened
SET 1 | The Pilots came out on top of a tight first set, winning 28-26 in a set that was tied eight times and had four lead changes. 17 of their 28 points came via kills. Portland also supplemented their offense with three aces in the opening set. Pilots' solid defensive performance from a front row blocked five Washington State attacks.
SET 2 | Portland lost the second set 25-12 to even the match 1-1. Portland trailed by as many as 13 points as Washington State grabbed the advantage for good at 7-6 in a set that was tied up six times before the Cougars took over the lead.
SET 3 | Portland then got back on the winning track, emerging victorious in set three and taking a two sets to one lead in the match. The Pilots grabbed control of the set early when the score was 2-1 and never trailed to win 25-15. Portland ended on a strong note, opening up its biggest lead of the set, 10 points, to finish off the set. Portland's front row had a solid defensive performance, blocking six Washington State attacks and capitalizing on 10 Washington State attacking errors on the way to victory.
SET 4 | Portland kept the momentum going, claiming the match win with a 25-18 fourth-set victory. A strong performance on the attacking side led the Pilots to victory in the set. Portland put together a .500 attack percentage with 15 kills in the set win. The Pilots rallied from down six at 11-5 to claim the win. Portland got a solid defensive performance from a front row that blocked six Washington State attacks.
Up Next
The Pilots head to Spokane to face the Gonzaga Bulldogs on Saturday, Nov. 22 at 12:00 p.m. (PST). The match will stream on ESPN+, with live stats available on PortlandPilots.com.
Get Your Tickets Now!
Secure your spot now for any upcoming Portland Pilots ticketed home event by visiting PortlandPilots.com/Tickets or by downloading the Portland Pilots App. For group and fan experience package information, email pilotsboxoffice@up.edu.
Donate Today
Fans interested in making a contribution to the Pilot Athletic Fund can do so by clicking here. Your gift directly helps our nearly 300 student-athletes as they strive to make a difference in our community and achieve academic and athletic excellence. Thank you for support of Pilot Athletics!
Follow Along With the Action
Get the latest news and information about your favorite University of Portland athletic programs by visiting PortlandPilots.com. You can also follow along for the most dynamic coverage and team-centric content by following us on Twitter, liking us on Facebook, and following us on Instagram.
