STOCKTON, Calif. --- Portland tried to rally after falling behind early, but the Pacific Tigers held off the Pilots 3-1 on Thursday night to open play in the West Coast Conference at the Alex G. Spanos Center. The Tigers took the first two sets 25-14 and 25-20, the Pilots fought back to claim the third 25-23, and the Tigers held on to win the third 25-23 to claim the match,
 
The Pilots (7-6, 0-1 WCC) started off the first set by setting the tone with a kill from Morgan Robinson, but a variety of Pacific players responded with kills to jump ahead 8-3. The Tigers then began to pull away with a flurry of kills to make the score 15-6. Portland's Hannah Troutman and Katie Barker then made kills to disrupt the momentum. Sarah Savoca followed with a kill and Troutman an ace to bring the score to 10-17, but the Tigers (7-6, 1-0 WCC) regained momentum to go on an eight-point run to win the first set.
 
The two teams began the second set neck-and-neck, and kills from Katie Sullivan and Troutman kept the Pilots within one. The Tigers then tried to pull away, but kills from Brittney Markwith and Barker kept the Pilots within reach. Two kills from Sullivan and Troutman then made it a one-point game at 12-11, and moments later Troutman registered a crucial kill to tie it up 15-15. The Tigers then crated some separation with the help of two kills from Emily Baptista. Again Portland responded with kills from Sullivan and Troutman, but the Tigers prevailed to take a 2-0 lead.
 
The third set belonged to Portland, who surged ahead early with kills from Sullivan and Troutman. Troutman, Sullivan and Savoca then continued the Portland attack, before Troutman recorded three straight kills to hand the Pilots a 12-9 lead. Savoca and Sullivan helped push the lead to four, but the Tigers answered with a four-point run to even the score. Troutman again came through for the Pilots to help the visitors re-claim the lead, and the lead was soon three points, courtesy Savoca and Troutman. The Pilots would then finish off the set 25-23.
 
Troutman started off the fourth set with two kills, and an ace from Cali Thompson  helped Portland to a 12-10 lead. Troutman and Savoca added two more kills after that to make it a 15-12 game, but Pacific was able to take the lead with a kill from Emily Baptista. Consecutive kills from Troutman, Thompson, and Sullivan then tied up the score 20-20, but again Pacific had an answer, this time claiming a three-point lead. The Pilots refused to falter, and Robinson had a well-placed kill to bring the Pilots back within one. Janie Fledsher then finished up the fourth set and the match for the Tigers 25-23.
 
Troutman marked a career high with 24 on the night, topping her previous high of 23, which she set against Pepperdine last season. Sullivan also recorded double digit kills for the night with 11. Three Pilots registered double digits in digs, led by Gajda with 18. Lauren Naatz and Troutman both had 11 digs, and Thompson totaled 42 assists on the night.
 
The Pilots will continue their road campaign by taking on Saint Mary's on Saturday at 1 p.m. in Moraga, Calif.