PORTLAND, Ore. --- The Portland Pilots recorded their fourth straight win over the Waves in a West Coast Conference match, Saturday afternoon with a five set victory, in the Chiles Center. Portland battled back after a 2-1 deficit to win with scores of 25-21, 33-35, 15-25, 25-22, and 15-9. The Pilots have only defeated the Waves six times in program history.
 
"Really proud of our team's fight," said head coach Brent Crouch. "Several times this year we have been down, and we fight back every time. I'd love it if we could learn to play with more consistency at the high level we are capable of. We are getting a bit healthier heading into next weekend, and that should make for a better week of practice."
 
Portland set the tone of the match by claiming the first point with a block from Reghan Pukis and Liz Reich. With the Pilots up 2-0, Pepperdine responded with a short run to take the lead 4-2 headed by two aces from Hannah Frohling and a kill from Nikki Lyons. The two teams battled evenly for the next several points before Pepperdine pulled away by two. The Pilots fought back to come even with the Waves before Hannah Troutman and Cali Thompson recorded a kill and an ace to push the Pilots ahead in the final points. Troutman and Sarah Savoca then finished up the set moments later each with a kill to claim the final points at 25-21.  
 
Though Pepperdine jumped to a 3-1 lead in the second set, the Pilots again battled back to even the score at 11-11 with kills from Reich and Savoca. Portland then extended their lead by three with two kills from Troutman and Barker and an ace from Emily Schwan. The Pilots held their lead pushing to set point, but the Waves motioned a comeback to push the second set into extra points. Both teams exchanged points for the next several minutes, but the Waves completed the comeback deep into the set at 35-33.
 
The Waves sprung forward again in the third set to an 8-2 lead and continued to surge forward increasing their gap by 10. Troutman sparked a short run with a kill and a solo block, in addition to a kill from Barker, prompting the Waves to take a timeout. Barker recorded two more kills to break up another Pepperdine run, but the Waves maintained their momentum through the final points to win 25-15.
 
The Pilots closed a four-point deficit late in the fourth set, making a comeback to take the lead 20-18, led by an ace from Carey Williams and kills from Pukis and Troutman. Portland put together another short run to move forward to set point with two more kills from Troutman and a kill from Barker. The Waves claimed three points to keep the Pilots from match point, but Troutman clinched the set with the final kill.
 
Portland surged forward to a 5-1 lead in the fifth set before the Waves answered to come within one of the Pilots. Portland secured the next four points, before Pepperdine slowed the Pilots momentum, but Pukis registered a kill along in addition to back to back kills from Troutman to end the match and complete the comeback.
 
Troutman led the Pilots with a double-double of 27 kills and 14 digs. Pukis and Barker also recorded double digit kills with 16 and 12, respectively. Cali Thompson also had a double-double with 49 assists and 22 digs, while Morgan Robinson led in digs for the Pilots with 35.
 
The Pilots will be back in action next weekend on the road at ranked WCC opponents BYU and San Diego.