SANTA CLARA, Calif. — In its first five-set match of the 2015 season, Santa Clara volleyball outlasted Portland 17-25, 25-22, 25-18, 24-26, 15-13 Thursday night in the Leavey Center. Nikki Hess posted a season-high 22 kills and Kirsten Mead topped all players with a season-high 50 assists as part of her fifth straight match with at least 41 assists.
Santa Clara, in the midst of three West Coast Conference matches in five days, has won six of its last seven and nine of its last 11 contests.
"Anytime you come away with a win like that, it's awesome," head coach Jon Wallace said. "Give credit to Portland; they made us earn every point we went after. I'm proud of our girls too. They stayed with it — and to pull off the win like we did — it shows that we have some great character. Our girls are very determined to finish these matches off as we go forward in conference."
Mead started the fifth set with an ace and the Broncos (12-4, 3-1 WCC) led the Pilots (11-4, 1-2 WCC) by as many as four points at 10-6. Portland used a 5-1 run to tie the final frame at 11, capped by Mikaela Nocetti's ace. Hess had three kills in a stretch that put the Broncos ahead 14-12, and Mead finished the match with a dump over the net.
Anna McCreadie and Jensen Cunningham each had 12 kills for Santa Clara — McCreadie tallied a new season-high mark while Cunningham tied her season-best effort. Mead also notched season-highs in digs (20) and kills (six) while Hess had a season-high 17 digs as both Broncos went for double-doubles in the win. Lacey Maas led all players with eight total blocks, including two block solos.
After Portland controlled the opening set, the Broncos jumped out to a 6-2 lead in the second stanza and overcame a three-point deficit to tie the match at one set apiece. Following the break, Santa Clara took command of the fourth set with a 6-1 run to pull in front 17-10; they held at least a five-point lead on route to taking a 2-1 match lead.
"I think it's good to get a five-set win at the beginning of the season so we know that we can handle it," Hess said. "Everyone really stepped it up and it was a team fight."
The Pilots fought off three straight match points to tie the fourth set at 24, and completed a 5-0 run to force the match-deciding fifth set. Portland won its only other five-set match of the season with a 3-2 victory over Cal Poly on Sept. 12.
The Broncos return to action for a WCC matchup against Gonzaga (11-5, 2-1 WCC) Saturday at 2 p.m. in the Leavey Center. The Bulldogs fell in a five-set match against San Francisco Thursday night.
