PORTLAND, Ore. -- The Portland Pilots defeated the Saint Mary's Gaels 3-2 (25-22, 25-14, 22-25, 20-25, 15-10) on Saturday at the Chiles Center. The win lifts the Pilots to 7-6 overall and 2-0 in WCC play, marking the program's first 2-0 conference start since 1991.
The Pilots were led offensively by Elin Larsson, who recorded a season-high 19 kills while hitting .313. Maui Robins added 14 kills, and Lucia Busso chipped in 12 as part of a balanced attack. Defensively, two Pilots finished in double figures for digs: Havannah Hoeft tallied 11 and Tinoa Woodward-Hart added 10. At the net, Taina Kaauwai and Busso both registered a season-high seven blocks.
Game Notes
» Portland had three players in double figures in kills:
» Taina Kaauwai served a match-high three aces.
» Portland never trailed on the way to winning the second set 25-14.
» Portland controlled the decisive fifth set, never trailing in the 15-10 victory.
» Elin Larsson's match-high 19 kills leave her just five shy of 800 career kills.
» Havannah Hoeft recorded a season-high 45 assists to go with 11 digs for her fourth double-double of the year, surpassing 1,300 career assists.
How It Happened
SET 1 | The Pilots persevered in a back-and-forth first set to win 25-22 in a set that featured six lead changes and was tied 15 times. Neither team led by more than three points in the match.
SET 2 | After their win in the first set, Portland put themselves on the cusp of a sweep with a 25-14 victory in set number two. The Pilots led from the opening point on in the set to earn the victory. Portland opened its biggest lead of the set, 11 points, to close out the set. The Pilots hit .417 over the course of the set. The Portland offense also got a boost from three aces in the set.
SET 3 | Portland saw its bid for a 3-0 win end when Saint Mary's took set three. The Pilots fought back from a nine-point deficit at 13-4, but Saint Mary's hung on to win the set 25-22.
SET 4 | Portland then dropped their second straight set 25-20 to bring the match level at two sets apiece. Saint Mary's grabbed the advantage for good at 12-11 and Portland was never able to recover in a set that was tied up four times before the Gaels took over the lead.
SET 5 | Portland had to play five sets to secure victory. After they jumped out to an early two sets to none lead, Saint Mary's (CA) responded to take the third and fourth sets before the Pilots finished off their victory with a 15-10 fifth-set win. The Pilots took a 1-0 lead and never looked back in the fifth set to earn the victory. Portland ended on a high note, opening its biggest lead of the set, five points, to close out the set, totaling 11 kills.
UP NEXT
Portland hosts conference newcomer Seattle U on Saturday, Oct. 4, at 1 p.m. The match will be available on ESPN+ with live stats provided at 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.
