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TOLEDO, Ohio --- The Portland Pilots opened up the 2015 season against the Wisconsin-Green Bay Phoenix at the Rocket Invitational on Friday morning. The Phoenix won the match 3-1 at the John F. Savage Arena on the University of Toledo campus.

Green Bay (1-0) won their first match of the season with set scores of 25-22, 25-22, 15-25, and 25-18.

Portland (0-1) and Green Bay were in a back and forth battle in the first set before Green Bay used a late run to take the game 25-22. Freshman Mikaela Nocetti had a pair of service aces in the middle of the set to put the Pilots up 16-15, but the lead would not last as the both teams battled for momentum in the race to 25. Senior Emily Liger had a block which sent Portland ahead 19-17, but Green Bay would again come back to tie it up. The Phoenix used a short three point run to pull ahead late 24-21. A big kill by junior Katie Sullivan held off one Green Bay game point, but the Phoenix took the game one win on the following point to go ahead 1-0 on the match.  Hard hitting sophomore Hannah Troutman led the Pilots offensively with five kills during the set.

Portland jumped out early in the second game to a 3-0 lead, which Green Bay responded with a five point run of their own. Troutman had a cross court kill to end the Phoenix run, but Green Bay would maintain the momentum and take a 10-4 lead. The Pilots regained control, scoring five points in a row to pull within one at 10-9. After some back and forth play, Sullivan drilled a kill down the center of the Green Bay defense and a Phoenix error gave Portland their largest lead of the game at 19-15. Some impressive serving by Green Bay's defensive specialist Jillian Bauer provided the Phoenix with seven unanswered points to take the 24-21 lead. A kill by junior Brittney Markwith got the side out for the Pilots, but Green Bay was able to finish the set and take the 2-0 lead on the match.

Setter Djurdjina Milovic stared the third set with a service ace and gave the Pilots the momentum they needed to jump ahead to a 9-0 lead. The Phoenix ended the Portland run with a point, which set Bauer up to serve again. Liger had a huge kill to not only give the Pilots the 10-1 lead, but end Bauer's stint as server. Portland's control of the set never wavered as the Pilots rolled to a 25-15 win to bring the match score to 2-1. Liger led Portland with five kills on the set.

Outside hitter Maddy Mandon had a kill down the line to set the Pilots ahead of the Phoenix 5-1 early in the fourth. The Pilots would maintain the lead until Green Bay came back to tie the set at 11, and then take a point advantage 13-12. Sullivan hit a shot off the Green Bay blockers to tie the game at 13, but the Phoenix regained momentum and went on to win the fourth game and claim the match win.

The Pilots will continue play in the Rocket Invitational tomorrow at 9:00 a.m. (Pacific) against Youngstown State.