Oct. 4, 2003
PORTLAND, Ore. - The Santa Clara University women's volleyball team swept the University of Portland by a 3-0 score Saturday night in the Chiles Center on the UP campus. With the win the Broncos improve to 11-5 overall and 2-0 in West Coast Conference play, while the Pilots fall to 10-6 overall and 0-2 in league action.
Senior setter Kelli Sousa guided the Bronco offense to a .388 hitting percentage as three SCU players registered double-digit kills on the night off of 47 assists from Sousa. Redshirt sophomore Toni Muratore posted a team-high 14 kills on the evening, followed by Becky Potter and Cassie Perret's 11 kills. Potter registered a match-high nine digs on the evening while Perret posted a career-high three block solos in the victory.
The match took only 89 minutes as the Broncos limited the Pilot offense to a .204 hitting percentage and 42 kills in the match. Sara Vercruyssen led the way for Portland with her 15 kills while her eight digs were tied for the team lead on the evening with Laura Pappas.
Santa Clara increases its all-time record against Portland to 29-7 with the win, having defeated the Pilots the last 17 times the two schools have met.
SCU returns to the court next week for a pair of matches, the first being a midweek contest against No. 9 California. That match will be played at 7 p.m. in Berkeley, Calif. The Broncos' second match will be a Saturday night affair against No. 19 San Diego in the Leavey Center. That WCC match is slated for a 7 p.m. first serve and will the first of a three-game homestand for the Broncos.
