Oct. 30, 2008
Box Score
PORTLAND, Calif. - Amy Mahinalani DeGroot paces the 15th-ranked University of San Diego women's volleyball team to a 3-0 (25-21, 25-17, 25-21) win over the University of Portland Thursday evening in a West Coast Conference match at the Chiles Center.
With the win, the Toreros improve to 17-3 overall, move to 7-1 in the WCC and move their winning streak to five. With the loss, the Pilots fall to 6-18 overall and 0-8 in the WCC.
DeGroot recorded her team-leading 11 kills on 20 attempts, while only committing four attack errors to post a .350 attack percentage. Both Ali Troost and Colleen Carlson had eight kills apiece. Jessica Nyrop recorded a match-best 32 assists, while helping direct the team to a .367 attack percentage.
In the first set, the Pilots and Toreros were in a sea saw battle right out of the gates, as both teams took their turn with the lead, With the score knotted at 4, a Troost kill off a set from Nyrop ignited a 5-1 San Diego run that was capped on a Carlson kill to give USD a four-point lead at 9-5. Portland refused to go away as they went on a 4-1 run of their own to pull back to within one at 10-9. Portland then kept to within two points with USD for a while, and finally with the score knotted at 21, a Portland attack error sparked a 4-0 San Diego run to allow the Toreros to win the first set 25-21.
In the second set, a Carlson kill off a set from Nyrop sparked a 9-4 San Diego run that was capped on a DeGroot kill off a set from Breanne Ogden to give USD the early momentum. Then with the score at 14-12 in favor for the Toreros, a Torey Ellick kill ignited a 4-1 USD run that was capped on a Nyrop kill off a set from Andrea Csaszi to give USD a 18-14 advantage. The Toreros never looked back as they claimed the second set 26-17.
In the third and final set, the Pilots gave the Toreros a battle as they didn't allow USD to get too far ahead, and with the score knotted at 19, a Portland service error ignited a 6-2 run to close out the match and give USD the 25-21 win.
The Toreros will return to action on Saturday as they head to Spokane, Wash. for a 12 p.m. match with Gonzaga University.
