PORTLAND, Ore. – LMU overcame the Portland Pilots volleyball team in three sets, Thursday evening in the Chiles Center.  The Pilots fought through close sets against the Lions with set scores of 21-25, 23-25, and 17-25.
 
Battling back and forth to start the first set, Portland (12-5, 3-2) took the initial 11-7 lead with back-to-back kills from senior Sarah Savoca, along with kills from senior Hannah Troutman and junior Reghan Pukis. The Lions (10-6, 3-2) fought back to level the score 20-20, pushing for a late comeback. In the final points of the set, Sara Kovac and Alexis Morrow recorded crucial kills for LMU to complete the comeback and take set 25-21.
 
The Pilots jumped ahead early in the second set to a 4-1 lead, headed by a kill from Troutman and a block from Savoca and sophomore Katie Barker. LMU responded with four points of their own to even the score 6-6 and continued to pull forward with two short runs. Barker added two more kills to close the gap, but LMU clung to the 19-15 lead. Though Portland climbed back into the set to come within one of the Lions, Kovac secured the 25-23 win to put the Lions up 2-0. 
 
Even to start the third set, Portland began to pull forward to 9-5 led by kills from Barker. The Lions then produced a short run to level the score 13-13 and continued to extend their lead by two. Troutman registered another kill to keep the Lions within reach, but LMU produced crucial defense plays with several blocks to maintain a six-point run towards match point. Though Barker and Pukis tried to hold the Lions at the final point with a block, Megan Rice and Kovac sealed the set 17-25 with kills.
 
Troutman and Pukis each had double-digit kills with 11 and 10, respectively. Senior Morgan Robinson had 14 digs, and sophomore Cali Thompson 32 assists.
 
The Pilots will be back in action Saturday afternoon at 1 p.m., against the Pepperdine Waves.