Pilots Fall to Beavers in Home-Opener
PORTLAND, Ore. --- Oregon State overcame the fourth largest crowd in UP volleyball history to defeat the Portland Pilots 3-0 in a non-conference match on Wednesday night at the Chiles Center. 482 fans watched the Beavers hold off a persistent Portland squad by scores of 25-16, 25-21 and 25-23.
Portland now sits at 1-3 overall, while Oregon State moves up to a mark of 3-1.
The Pilots were led by a combined offensive effort from the trio of junior Jessica Clemens (nine kills), sophomore Marissa Plummer (eight kills) and senior Maria Clemens (seven kills). Junior Jessica Baty anchored the defense with a match-high 17 digs. Senior Kaylyn Jones and freshman Madison Smith dished out 16 assists each on the night.
Rachel Rourke had the match-high 15 kills to pace OSU, while Alyssa O’Neil posted 14 digs.
The Pilots heated up as the match wore on, but the Beavers proved too strong at the net with a team total 12 blocks and .308 attacking percentage.
OSU opened the first set hard and fast jumping out to 9-4 lead. But the Pilots were unable get any closer than three points, as the Beavers marched to a 25-16 set victory.
It was Portland who seized the early lead in the second set at 7-4. A series of kills from Jill Sawatzky sparked an OSU comeback that sprung them ahead to 15-11. UP then rallied to close the lead to within one point at 16-15, courtesy of a kill by freshman Ariel Usher and then again at 18-17 with a Jessica Clemens service ace. From there, OSU’s Rourke and Lexie Rathgeber threw down a lethal attack to close out the set. Freshman Kate Bostwick helped the Pilots to evade set point with a kill,but the Beavers claimed the set 25-21.
It was a valiant effort by the Pilots in the third set with the score all knotted up on seven occasions. At 7-7 the Beavers came up with two straight blocks and proceeded to pull ahead to enjoy their widest lead of the set at 18-14. But the Pilots refused to go away as Plummer, Bostwick and Shelley Sievers each recorded one kill, while Maria Clemens added two to bring UP into the lead at 23-22. Ultimately, OSU seized the match win with two straight kills from Rourke, following an Oregon State time out.
“It was a great start to a five-match homestretch”, said head coach Joe Houck. “We got stronger as the match went on. We’re looking to improve in each match and we’re excited to see how the weekend will unfold.”
Up next, Portland hosts the 2009 Nike Portland Invitational that includes three teams playing a total of four matches in three days. Portland and American University get things started with a match on Thursday, Sept. 3, at 7:00 p.m. American then faces New Mexico at 7:00 p.m. as the tournament’s lone match on Friday. UP squares off in a second meeting against American at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday before wrapping up the tourney that same day with a match against New Mexico at 7:00 p.m. The Pilots return to the court for a non-conference match against No. 14 Oregon on Sunday, Sept. 6 at 2:00 p.m.
Oregon State def. Portland 25-16,25-21,25-23
Oregon State (3-1) (Kills-aces-blocks) - Rourke, Rachel 15-1-4;
Sawatzky, Jill 8-1-2; Knitter, Bree 7-0-4; Rathgeber, Lexie 6-0-3;
Ah-Hoy, Camilla 3-2-2; Sambrailo, Kiersten 2-0-3; Eneliko, Ashley
1-0-4; McBride, Megan 1-0-0; Saxton, Camille 0-1-0; Totals 43-5-12.0.
(Assists) - Ah-Hoy, Camilla 29. (Dig leaders) - O'Neil, Alyssa 14;
Sawatzky, Jill 13; Ah-Hoy, Camilla 8
Portland (1-3) (Kills-aces-blocks) - CLEMENS, Jessica 9-1-0; PLUMMER,
Marissa 8-0-0; CLEMENS, Maria 7-0-0; HRONEK, Kati 5-0-0; USHER, Ariel
4-0-0; SIEVERS, Shelley 3-0-0; BOSTWICK, Kate 3-0-0; Totals 39-1-0.0.
(Assists) - JONES, Kaylyn 16; SMITH, Madison 16. (Dig leaders) - BATY,
Jessica 17; CLEMENS, Jessica 13
