Box Score Box Score
PORTLAND, Ore. --- The determined Portland Pilots were unrelenting during a three-set sweep of the UC Riverside Highlanders Saturday evening at the Portland State Showcase. The Pilots defeated the Highlanders with scores of 25-22, 25-23, 25-22.
The result improves Portland’s record to 4-7, while UC Riverside moves to 5-7.
Sophomore Jessica Clemens paced both teams in kills with 14, while junior Kaylyn Jones had 43 assists. Jones’ eight digs equaled a match high with Pilot freshman Allix Strahon and UC Riverside’s Tonbara Youpele. Senior Ashley Grayson added 13 kills and senior Jennifer Sheedy ruled above the net with a match-high four blocks.
The first set saw the two teams exchange leads several times until 15-15, when Portland’s Jessica Clemens and Fox connected on kills to propel the Pilots into the lead. Portland eventually won the set 25-22, with a flurry of kills coming from Grayson, Jessica Clemens, Plummer and senior K.C. Fox.
Portland’s Fox sent over three service aces in a row to open the second set 3-0. The team spread out the attack during the set with Grayson leading the way with five kills, Plummer and Sheedy adding four apiece and Jessica Clemens connecting on three. Clemens also cut into the UC Riverside attack with three digs.
Eager to secure the win, the Pilots were disciplined on both sides of play during the third and final set. Out-doing Riverside in kills 16-5 and in digs 11-3, Portland comfortably settled into its biggest lead at 17-9 before battling off a few UC Riverside attempts to tighten the margin. Sheedy drove home the win by scoring Portland’s last four points of the match.
The Pilots finish the Portland State Showcase with a respectable split of two wins and two losses. Portland now looks ahead to next weekend’s Hawkeye Holiday Inn Challenge in Iowa City.
