Box Score PORTLAND, Ore.  – Fueled by five kills and four service aces, the Multnomah University Lions rallied from 20-13 deficit to win the pivotal second set and went on to a 3-0 sweep (25-19, 25-23, 25-18) of the visiting New Hope Christian College Deacons in a non-conference volleyball match Wednesday night here at Lytle Gym.
 
The Lions never trailed in winning the first set, using an 8-1 run to build a 14-5 lead and rolling to an opening-round victory.  The outburst was sparked by three consecutive aces by Kayla Keane and another one by Miranda Halverson.
 
New Hope used a 16-8 run to build its seven-point lead late in the second set before consecutive kills by Halverson, Sydney Amundsen, and Halverson again started the Multnomah rally.  Keane had two more aces as the Lions trimmed the margin to 20-19.  A kill by Madison Schuh finally knotted the set at 21-21.  The teams were tied again at 22-22 and 23-23 before a kill by Hannah Snyder and an ace by Marissa Rhodes capped the comeback.
 
The Deacons jumped out to a 4-1 lead in the third set, but the Lions bounced back to tie it 6-6 on yet another Keane ace.  The teams then swapped points all the way through 12-12 before a Halverson winner put the Lions ahead for good.  Ahead 19-16, Multnomah closed out the match with a 6-2 run, half of the points winning spikes by Patty Batoon.
 
--- By the Numbers: Halverson and Batoon had a match-high 10 kills apiece as the Lions hit .200 (37-17-100) for the match.  Rhodes had 14 assists, while Keane had 11 assists, six of the Lions' 11 team aces, and a team-leading nine digs. 
 
Loke Moepono-Techur topped the Deacons with six kills while Hope Ivey handed out 14 kills.  Breezy Husband and Sky Moskowitz had 12 and 11 digs respectively, and Chandler Heinrick and Zoe Morelli had three blocks assists each.
 
--- Quoting Coach Jenna Bouey: "New Hope came out ready to compete and did a great job of that.  I'm proud of our team for closing it out in three and getting the win tonight."
 
--- Next: Multnomah returns to Cascade Collegiate Conference play Friday with a 7:00 p.m. match at Corban University in Salem, Ore. … New Hope visits Life Pacific College in San Dimas, Calif., a week from Thursday for a 7:00 p.m. contest.