PORTLAND, Ore. – Santa Clara was evenly matched Saturday afternoon at Chiles Center, with the Broncos and Portland going back and forth the whole game. The Broncos were able to pull out their third conference win, beating the Pilots, 3-2 (26-24, 24-26, 25-17, 19-25, 15-10) putting them on a two game winning streak. 

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• Santa Clara (11-12, 3-8 WCC) came out with determination, clinching the first set 26-24. The Broncos managed to narrowly edge past the Pilots (8-15, 3-8 WCC), as both teams concluded the set with an equal tally of 17 kills apiece.

• Throughout the second set, the Broncos maintained a consistent lead. However, with an opportunity to get a 2-0 match advantage, the Pilots made a comeback, rallying from a 24-22 deficit to achieve a 4-0 run and claim the second set 26-24.

• In the third set, the Bronco offense seized the opportunity to excel, finishing the set with 14 kills. The Broncos were more effective offensively than the Pilots in the third, utilizing their 30 attempts to achieve an impressive hitting percentage of .367 and adding on two service aces. 

• In the fourth set, the Pilots dominated the serving game, notching six service aces. This particular set proved to be the most challenging for Santa Clara, as they struggled with a hitting percentage of just .280%. Despite having an opportunity to narrow the gap at 19-16, the Broncos couldn't capitalize and lost the set with a score of 25-19.

• Santa Clara displayed determination in the fifth set, aiming for their third WCC victory of the season. They began with an impressive 4-0 lead, prompting Portland to call a timeout. The Broncos continued to maintain control, causing a side switch at 8-4, and ultimately secured the fifth set with a 15-10 win.

NOTABLE NUMBERS 

• 18: Radeff continued to impress offensively after recording 18 kills Saturday at Portland. In the last 8 games, she has marked double-digit kills in 5 of them.  

• 8: Alyssa Eimer tallied 14 digs during the match against the Pilots. This marked her second career start as the libero, the first of which occurred on Thursday at Gonzaga.

• 3: Three Broncos tallied 10 or more kills in the win against Portland on Saturday. Radeff-18, Tulino -16, and Layla Truitt-10 

• 2: Tulino and Anna Stucchi recorded two aces a piece in the win against Portland.