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PORTLAND, Ore. – Through three sets on Tuesday night at the Stott Center it appeared that Portland State may pick up its first ever win over a ranked opponent at the NCAA Division I level.
The Vikings (3-4) had No. 19 Oregon on the ropes with a 2-1 lead, but couldn't close it out for their second 3-2 defeat to a Pac-10 school in a week. The Ducks controlled set four before narrowly escaping in the final stanza to take the match by scores of 25-15, 22-25, 23-25, 25-15, 15-13.
Oregon (6-0) used a balanced offensive attack with four players tallying double-digits in kills, while outblocking Portland State, 16-9.
The Ducks never trailed in the opening frame and then held several four-point leads early on in set two. Oregon led 13-9, only to watch the Vikings score seven of the next nine points to go up 16-15. The Ducks responded with three straight points, but yet again PSU showed its toughness with a four-point rally for a 21-20 advantage. Oregon knotted it up on a kill by Alaina Bergsma, but eventually
Lana Zielke gave the Vikings a 25-22 victory with a swing from the middle.
Portland State carried the momentum over to set three, taking a 10-7 lead on a kill by
Whitney Phillips. Oregon rallied to tie it at 10-10 and then again at 11-11, but the Vikings took back over and were up 23-19 after another kill by Phillips. The Ducks answered back with a four-point swing before PSU's
Megan Ellis stopped the run with a kill from the left side. The Vikings took the set on the next play on a ball handling error by Oregon.
Oregon led the entire way in set four and had Portland State reeling in set five after a Vikings attack error gave the Ducks a 9-5 lead. The Vikings mounted a comeback, getting kills from Phillips, Ellis and
Christie Hamilton to get back within a point. Oregon seized control with a 4-2 run, but PSU had an answer yet again. Down 13-10, the Vikings tied the score with a kill by Phillips, a service ace by
Lana Zielke and a UO attack error. That was as close at the Vikings would get, though, as Heather Meyers slammed home an attack and Kellie Kawaski served up an ace to close out a 15-13 win for Oregon.
Phillips paced Portland State with 26 kills and a career-high 19 digs for her team-leading fourth double-double. The senior outside hitter also hit .309 as PSU finished with a .260 hitting percentage.
Megan Ellis chipped in a career-best 13 kills,
Christie Hamilton had nine more and hit .300, while Zielke served up three aces and led all players with six blocks. Also,
Diana Villalpando registered 18 digs.
Meyers led Oregon with 17 kills and six aces while hitting .317 and digging 15 balls. Katherine Fischer recorded 16 kills, three aces and five blocks, and Bergsma added 13 kills. Haley Jacob led Oregon with 19 digs, and setter Lauren Plum dished out 55 assists and served up five of the Ducks' 17 aces.
Portland State now heads to the Bay Area for three matches this weekend. Up first is a 11 a.m. match at Santa Clara on Friday. They also play at San Jose State at 8 p.m.
NOTES: Last Tuesday, the Vikings led Pac-10 foe Oregon State, 2-0, but lost 3-2 ...
Garyn Schlatter had a team-high 44 assists for PSU. She also added five kills and hit .400 ... Oregon hit .296.