Sofia Lavin.

Women's Volleyball

USD Too Much for Pilots

Nov. 22, 2014

PORTLAND, Ore. -- The University of San Diego women's volleyball team rallied to claim a 3-1 win over the University Portland Pilots in a West Coast Conference women's volleyball match played on Saturday afternoon at the Chiles Center.




San Diego (18-10, 11-6 WCC) won by scores of 25-18, 25-19, 23-25 and 25-11. Alaysia Brown led the Toreros with 20 kills on 40 attempts to hit for a .400 clip. , Sophomore outside hitter Sofia Lavin added in a career-high 19 kills and she hit for a .500 clip. Jianna Bonomi posted a double-double with 36 assists and 11 digs, while Hunter Jennings recorded a team-best 22 digs to pace the Torero offense. As a team, USD hit .329.

The Toreros jumped out to a big lead to begin the first set, but the Pilots responded by rattling off four straight points. Portland continued to climb back, and another kill pulled the Pilots to within four at 16-12. Moments later Morgan Robinson buried a kill and Bea Loper and Brittney Markwith combined for a block and the Pilots were within three. The Toreros would then out-score the Pilots 6-2 the rest of the way to clinch the first set.

The second set began well for the Pilots, who forced a 5-5 tie when Lindburg connected for a kill. The score was tied once again at 7-7 before San Diego created some separation. The Pilots though would hang around and a perfectly placed service ace by Ali Koumelis pulled the Pilots within 12-15. The deficit was still just three points when Markwith registered an ace, and Portland was still within four late in the set. But once again the Toreros were able to close out the set to take a 2-0 overall lead.

San Diego claimed an early lead in the third set, but the Pilots had the answer in the form of a solo block by Katie Sullivan and an ace from Djurdjina Milovic, which tied the score 5-5. The Pilots jumped ahead when San Diego followed a Liger kill with an attacking error and the lead grew to 11-9 after a swing from Lindburg resulted in a kill. The Pilots would maintain a two-point cushion for the next several points as Sullivan and Loper combined for a block and Sullivan and Markwith each recorded a kill, the latter making it an 18-16 game.

The Toreros then re-claimed the lead, but the Pilots refused to falter and jumped back in front 22-21 with consecutive kills from Sullivan and Lindburg. Back-to-back kills by Lindburg and Sarah Savoca then had the Pilots serving for set point and yet another clutch kill from Lindburg handed the Pilots the victory.

The fourth set belonged to the Toreros, who never trailed en route to the win.



The Toreros will return to action on Tuesday with a 7 p.m. match at Pepperdine University. This will be the final regular-season match of the season for the Toreros.



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Players Mentioned

Jianna Bonomi

#1 Jianna Bonomi

Setter
5' 5"
Senior
Alaysia Brown

#3 Alaysia Brown

MH/OH
6' 2"
Senior
Sofia Lavin

#9 Sofia Lavin

OH/OPP
6' 2"
Sophomore
Hunter Jennings

#16 Hunter Jennings

Libero
5' 5"
Sophomore

Players Mentioned

Jianna Bonomi

#1 Jianna Bonomi

5' 5"
Senior
Setter
Alaysia Brown

#3 Alaysia Brown

6' 2"
Senior
MH/OH
Sofia Lavin

#9 Sofia Lavin

6' 2"
Sophomore
OH/OPP
Hunter Jennings

#16 Hunter Jennings

5' 5"
Sophomore
Libero