SALEM, Ore. – For the second and third occasions in the 2024 season, the No. 2-ranked Corban University Beach Volleyball team handed their NCAA Division One opponent a dual loss at the hands of a nationally ranked NAIA program, as the Warriors defeated the University of Portland Pilots in a doubleheader dual by final match scores of 3-2 and 4-1 at the Corban Beach Volleyball Courts earlier this afternoon.

"It was rewarding to see the team implement new strategies we've been working on and stepping up to the challenge today," Corban head coach Dan Stephens said shortly after their season sweep of Portland. "I was hoping this would be our response after coming up short against Oregon earlier this week. We're heading in the right direction, and I hope to see continued growth with each competition."

Unlike in their first meeting of the year in late February where the Warriors (8-2) swept the Pilots (6-6) for the first time in program history, Portland came into today's doubleheader with a chip on their shoulder as they looked to break a six-match losing streak to Corban dating back to March of 2022.

After forcing a 1-1 draw through the opening pairs, Portland put themselves in an opportunity to walk out of Salem with at least a doubleheader split, yet the dominant play from Corban's fifth pair (freshmen Jordan Faircloth and Kiley Power) and third pair (sophomore Emmi Marks and redshirt junior Nicole Bantilan) quickly erased any chance the Pilots had of forcing an upset to instead had to settle for a 3-2 loss after their top duo of Elin Larsson and Leonie Freytag were able to hand junior Megan Dennis and freshman Emma Bischoff only their third loss of the season.

Now struck with additional motivation after almost allowing Portland to snap the Warriors' winning streak against the NCAA DI school, Corban burst out of the gates in the second dual by taking the twos and fours in nail-biting fashion to lead 2-0 at the court swap mark. Junior Jessica McMillian and freshman Danae Stokes rallied into a third set that would go the distance and clinch the pair with a 15-13 win, while the fourth pairing of freshman Allyson Reid and sophomore Erin Scott earned a revenge win over UP's Kili Robins and Elena Bullemer via 21-19 and 22-20 set scores.

The Pilots were able to salvage the match and avoid a sweep in the fives with a come-from-behind win in the fifth and final pairs, where Maui Robbins and Michaela Strati dropped the opening set to Faircloth and Power only to win the second and third sets 21-17 and 15-13, respectively. Every third set forced today between Corban and Portland finished in at least a 15-13 final score, with the exception being Marks and Bantilan's suspenseful 16-14 victory.
 

Dual One - #2 Corban 3, Portland 2

1. Elin Larsson/Leonie Freytag (UP) def. Megan Dennis/Emma Bischoff (CRB) 21-18, 13-21, 15-13

2. Danae Stokes/Jessica McMillian (CRB) def. Annika Stammberger/Taylor Helle (UP) 22-20, 21-15

3. Emmi Marks/Nicole Bantilan (CRB) def. Valerie Bruk/Sophie Lee (UP) 21-19, 21-14

4. Kili Robins/Elena Bullemer (UP) def. Allyson Reid/Erin Scott (CRB) 21-15, 21-18

5. Jordan Faircloth/Kiley Power (CRB) def. Maui Robbins/Michela Strati (UP) 21-13, 21-19

Ext. Marlee Jasso/Sydney Sanford (CRB) def. Taina Kaauwai/Lucia Busso (UP) 21-12, 21-15

Dual Two - #2 Corban 4, Portland 1

1. Megan Dennis/Emma Bischoff (CRB) def. Elin Larsson/Leonie Freytag (UP) 21-18, 21-13

2. Danae Stokes/Jessica McMillian (CRB) def. Annika Stammberger/Sophie Lee (UP) 22-20, 16-21, 15-13

3. Emmi Marks/Nicole Bantilan (CRB) def. Valerie Bruk/Taylor Helle (UP) 17-21, 21-18, 16-14

4. Allyson Reid/Erin Scott (CRB) def. Kili Robins/Elena Bullemer (UP) 21-19, 22-20

5. Maui Robbins/Michela Strati (UP) def. Jordan Faircloth/Kiley Power (CRB) 17-21, 21-17, 15-13

Ext. Payton Bazant/Cammie Masanda (CRB) def. Taina Kaauwai/Lucia Busso (UP) 23-21, 21-19

The Warriors will refocus their attention on conference contests that take place in Caldwell, Idaho next weekend, as they'll battle tourney hosts RV College of Idaho (2-2) on March 29th at 12pm MT or 11am PT.

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