Cox Explodes For 27 Kills, Not Enough As Volleyball Falls In Five To Portland

Friday, September 19

Orem, UT

3:30 pm

UC Riverside

2-8

Portland

5-4

Team	1	2	3	4	5	Final F
UC Riverside	12	25	31	21	9	2
Portland	25	22	29	25	15	3

Photo by: Gabriel L. Acosta

Cox Explodes For 27 Kills, Not Enough As Volleyball Falls In Five To Portland

9/19/2014 4:57:00 PM | Women's Volleyball

Box Score

Orem, UT - The UC Riverside Volleyball Team dropped a five-set battle to Portland Friday in the first game of the La Quinta Inn & Suites Invitational. The Highlanders (2-8) rallied back from a 25-12 loss in the first set to win 25-22 in the second, and 31-29 in the third going up 2-1 in the match. The Pilots (5-4) countered with a 25-21 fourth-set win to tie the match again, and went on for the 15-9 fifth-set victory.

Ashley Cox recorded a match-high 27 kills on the night, just two away from her career-high. Alex Gresham added 14 kills while Sarah Bruchet and Maddie Hubbell each recorded 19 digs to lead the team.

In the first set, Portland led by four, 13-9, midway through before utilizing a 7-0 run to open up the frame, 20-9, en route to a 25-12 win.

The Pilots continued their offensive onslaught scoring four straight to open the second set, but UCR rebounded turning a 9-6 deficit into an 11-9 advantage.

The teams traded points with six tie scores through 18-18 before UC Riverside went on top for good, using two Cox kills and a Reza kill to go up 21-18. UP closed the gap to two on three occasions, the last when the Highlanders were at set-point, 24-22, but a kill by Gresham closed out the set propelling UCR to a 25-22 win and tying the match at 1-1.

With 13 ties and six lead changes in the third set, it was a back-and-forth battle as both teams looked to take control. Towards the end of the match, each squad led at set-point, with Portland getting two opportunities to win, and UCR getting five.

It was the Highlanders who eventually pulled away, however, as a service error by the Pilots gave UC Riverside a 30-29 advantage, and a service ace by Cox sealed the victory, 31-29.

Portland took an advantage midway though the fourth set going up by nine, 15-6, but UCR rallied, outscoring the Pilots 10-2 to cut the gap to 18-16. Cox had three kills during the run while the Highlanders capitalized on four UP errors.

It was still a two-point game, 21-19, when Portland scored three straight to go up at set-point, 24-19. A Helena Peric kill and a Pilots error brought UCR back to 24-21, but they could not continue the comeback as a final kill by UP made it 25-21, tying the match at 2-2.

Portland started strong in the fifth, scoring three consecutive to force a UC Riverside timeout. The teams traded points with the lead staying between two and three until the Pilots starting pulling away, scoring three straight to take a 13-7 advantage, and going on for the 15-9 win.

The Highlanders continue action at the La Quinta Inn & Suites Invitational with an 11 am PT match against Utah Valley on Saturday.