The women's hoops team is taking turns writing the blog this season, and redshirt-freshman Elyse Snyder checks in with the latest entry!!Be sure to bookmark portlandpilots.com/WBBblog and follow the Pilots as they navigate the WCC slate.

ENTRY #11: Elyse Snyder
Wednesday, February 1, 2012

HELLO PILOT FANS!
 
My name is Elyse and I am here to tell you what’s new with your Portland Pilot’s Women’s Basketball team! However, let me tell you a little about myself. My full name is Elyse Snyder, and I am a redshirt freshman center; I am from Riverside, California and I am majoring in Secondary Education- Mathematics.
 
As the third week of school has started and your Pilots are continuing to feel the pressure of school, practice, and games all adding up. With 8 a.m. practices and a couple hour-long practices between classes, everyone’s schedules seem extremely demanding. If the team isn’t traveling or practicing, they are either in class, doing homework or sleeping. But everyone is pushing through and doing their best to stay on top of everything!
 
And then there are those times when the coaches surprise you. At practice yesterday, while walking out to get warmed up, Coach told everyone to put a jacket on because the team was going to Fire on the Mountain! Obviously, everyone was ecstatic! Great food and team bonding put everyone in the right mood to have an excellent practice the following day.
 
Now onto the games: last week, your Pilots took on Loyola Marymount at home. Everyone worked hard, but sadly, Loyola walked away with the win. The final score was Loyola- 68, Pilots-60.
 
On Sunday, the team hosted a Mother-Daughter Clinic in the Chiles Center. Working with girls of all ages and the girl’s mothers, the team became coaches for the day, teaching and reinforcing basic skills such as passing, dribbling, and shooting. The skills were then put to the test as each group faced each other in a game that reflected the skill just taught. In the end, the girls all walked out with signed posters and a handful of tickets to the next game.
 
Today the team flies up to Spokane to take on Gonzaga! After the surprise trip to Fire on the Mountain and a team meeting to critique tape and point out what we could improve on as a whole, everyone feels confident and ready to take on the Zags! The game is Thursday at 6! If you’re in the area, hope to see you there! If not, wish us luck!
 
GO PILOTS!!
Elyse
 
P.S. Sorry, I do not have any pictures for this blog =/ Maybe next time! (Editor’s Note: We took the liberty of posting some photos from the mother-daughter clinic, please see below)

• Entry #1: Sarah Griffin (Sept. 19, 2011)
• Entry #2: Amy Pupa (Sept. 30, 2011)
• Entry #3: Colleen Olinger (Oct. 4, 2011)
• Entry #4: ReZina TecleMariam (Oct. 24, 2011)
• Entry #5: Cassandra Brown (Nov. 21, 2011)
• Entry #6: Natalie Day (Dec. 22, 2011)
• Entry #7: Kari Luttinen (Jan. 2, 2012)
• Entry #8: Erin Boettcher (Jan. 12, 2012)
• Entry #9: NaKeisha Brown (Jan. 18, 2012)
• Entry #10: Cassandra Thompson (Feb. 1, 2012)