SANTA CLARA, Calif. – Santa Clara volleyball earned a split in its two-match series with Portland with a 25-18, 25-22, 26-24 sweep victory on Tuesday in Leavey Center.

Julia Sangiacomo had another strong outing with 15 kills on a .375 attack percentage and eight digs, and Sophia Tulino had a double-double with 11 kills and 12 digs for the Broncos (2-4, 2-4 WCC), who outhit the Pilots .308 to .179 in the West Coast Conference matchup.

Liz Reich tallied 10 kills and Mia Wesley added nine for the Pilots (2-10, 2-10) who rallied from a 2-0 hole for the victory on Monday. The Broncos fended off a push from Portland in the rematch.

Portland led 20-17 in the third set before Santa Clara scored six of the next seven points, including a kill and an ace from Liliana Light. Reich came through with a kill to knot the score at 24-all and extend the set, but just as it looked like a fourth set was looming Michelle Shaffer set up Tulino and Sangiacomo for match-ending kills. Sangiacomo had six kills and Tulino five in the final set to help the Broncos post a .368 attack percentage for the frame.

Shaffer had 25 assists, nine digs, five kills and four blocks in the match. Light was efficient for the Broncos with five kills on seven attempts, five blocks and seven assists.

One day after posting a career-high 27 kills, the most for the Broncos in a single match since 2012, Sangiacomo helped the Broncos get off to a fast start with six of the team's 16 kills in the opening set. The Broncos sprinted out of the gates, using a 12-2 run to take a 15-6 lead and Portland was not able to get closer than four points.

Santa Clara rattled off seven straight points to take a 7-2 lead in the second set; the spree featured back-to-back aces from Sangiacomo and a pair of kills from Tulino. The Broncos held at least a three-point edge until the tail end of the set, when Portland won three straight points to make the score 24-22 Santa Clara. The Broncos called timeout and Portland's Grace Zilbert missed on the next serve to end the set.

HIGHLIGHTS | Check out the best action from Tuesday's sweep victory over Portland!#StampedeTogether #SCUBroncos pic.twitter.com/P7Rltugso6

— Santa Clara Volleyball (@scuvolleyball) March 10, 2021

NOTES

• Santa Clara leads 57-14 (first meeting 1979). The Broncos won both meetings in 2019 and the teams split the previous eight meetings. They split the two-match season series in 2016 and 2017. Portland swept the season series in 2018 and Santa Clara swept the season series in 2019.

��️ Hear from @Coach_ELindsey on todays's victory over Portland!

Postmatch interview presented by @ROATweets.#StampedeTogether #SCUBroncos pic.twitter.com/apzclXuW8D

— Santa Clara Volleyball (@scuvolleyball) March 10, 2021

NEXT UP

Santa Clara closes out the week with road matches Friday and Saturday at Gonzaga. First serve for both contests is set for 11:30 a.m.