SPOKANE, Wash. --- The Portland Pilots volleyball team battled Gonzaga to five sets in their final match of conference play, Monday evening in the Martin Centre, but the Bulldogs prevailed in the final points of the last set.  Though the Pilots pulled ahead 2-1 after winning the third set, the Zags claimed the match with scores of 25-17, 21-25, 20-25, 25-22, and 15-12.

After Gonzaga claimed the first set 25-17, both teams battled evenly to start the second set. Portland then pulled ahead with an 8-2 run led by kills from Troutman and senior Sarah Savoca, along with aces from Savoca and Barker to jump ahead 16-12.  Gonzaga took five points to come within one of the Pilots, but Barker and Troutman added two more kills to push towards set point. Portland then held on for the 25-21 win, despite a last effort kill by Gonzaga's Sarah Penner.

Springing forward to a 5-2 lead in the third set, the Pilots held that momentum to allow Barker and Troutman to record three more kills and move ahead 12-8. Both teams exchanged the next several points, though the Pilots put together small runs here and there to push ahead 22-16. In the last points of the set, Reich and Pukis allowed the Pilots to go up 2-1 on Gonzaga as their last kills ended the set 25-20.
The Zags responded to the Pilots 2-1 lead by winning the fourth set to take the Pilots to five. In the final set, Portland again took the initial lead with an ace and a kill from Troutman to force the score 6-6. Though the Pilots again took a two-point lead by a kill and block from Barker, with the help of Savoca, the Bulldogs sparked a five-point run to counter the Pilot lead and close out the set 15-12 for the five set win.

Troutman led the Pilots with a double-double of 24 kills and 16 digs. Barker and Pukis also had double-digit kills with 15 and 13, respectively. Williams led the Pilots on defense with 24 digs, while junior Lauren Naatz 11. Thompson also recorded 56 assists.