PORTLAND, Ore. --- The Portland Pilots led the entire night and ended the game on a 16-4 run to claim a 69-53 win over the Portland State Vikings in a non-conference women's basketball game played on Tuesday night at the Stott Center. Freshman Ellie Woerner scored a game-high 18 points and junior Kaylie Van Loo added a career-best 17 points.
 
Portland (2-3) led big early before the Vikings (0-4) came back and tried to hang around. After falling behind by double digits in the third quarter, Portland State mounted a run mid-way through the fourth quarter to pull within 53-49 when Michaela Kay hit a three-pointer with 5:30 left to play.
 
But that's when the Pilots regrouped, overcame foul trouble and out-scored their crosstown rival by 12 points the rest of the way. Rachelle Owens hit a big-time jumper to push the lead to 10, and Woerner followed with a bank shot from a tough angle to make it 61-49 with 2:14 remaining.
 
Ashley Gray then made a nice turn-around down low and Van Loo converted three free throws in the closing minute to seal the win.
 
Van Loo hit nine free throws on the night, to go along with a 4-for-8 shooting performance. Woerner connected on two three-pointers to lead the Pilots in scoring for the third time this year.
 
Owens added nine points, as did Darian Slaga and Corissa Turley. Four Pilots had at least five rebounds, led by Gray and Holly Blades who each had seven boards. Portland had a remarkable three players foul out, while two more finished the game with four fouls.
 
Cici West led Portland State with 16 points and set a Stott Center record for rebounds by a Viking with 18 boards.
 
The first quarter looked promising for the Pilots, who jumped out to an early 16-3 lead. Both Turley and Woerner hit three-pointers during the outburst. The lead would grow as the Vikings suffered through a four minute scoring drought, going 0-for-10 from the floor. Turley then hit another jumper, and Slaga converted three free throws as Portland built their lead to 21-4. The Vikings did recover a little before the Pilots eventually claimed a 25-12 lead at the end of the period.
 
Both Turley and Woerner had seven points as the Pilots registered a season-high in first quarter points.
 
The second quarter was a different story as the Vikings opened with seven unanswered points. The Pilots hurt themselves with turnovers and fouls as Portland State climbed all the way within three points with two minutes left until the half. The Pilots, who were out-scored 20-10 in the period, would then settle for a 35-32 lead at the break.
 
Woerner had nine points in the first half, as did Van Loo to lead the Pilots. West had a game-high 12 points.
 
The Pilots did push their advantage back to double digits in the third quarter and took a 50-41 lead into the final frame.                         
 
West's efforts on the glass helped the Vikings hold a slight 49-46 in rebounds. The Pilots held Portland State to just 24.2 percent shooting on the night and the Vikings hit their only three-pointer of the game late in the fourth quarter.
 
The Pilots next return to The Bluff following the holiday to host Weber State, another opponent from the Big Sky Conference, on Friday. Tip-off for the Pilots and Wildcats is set for 4 p.m. at the Chiles Center.