SALEM, Ore. --- The Portland Pilots beach volleyball team claimed their first match of their 2017 season against the Oregon Ducks earlier this morning at Chemeketa College in Salem, Ore. The Pilots (1-0) won three out of the five duels to end the day 3-2.

Sophomore Lauren Naatz and senior Djurdjina Milovic started off the day sweeping their 5's duel against the Ducks (0-1). Junior Sarah Savoca and senior Monica Gajda followed Naatz and Milovic in their match making an impressive comeback to win their 4's duel after the Ducks took the first set.
 
In the third pairing, freshman Emma Scanlan and junior Morgan Robinson took a close first set, before the Ducks responded by winning the second. Scanlan and Robinson ultimately finished up the duel winning the final set 15-4 to clinch the overall team win 3-0.
 
Junior Hannah Troutman and senior Katie Barker then squared up against Oregon's 2's team, fighting two close battles, but the Ducks prevailed taking both sets to make the overall score 3-1.  Freshman Cali Thompson and graduate student Tani Stephens then closed the day taking on the Duck's 1's pair. Though Thompson and Stephens fought through two close sets, the Duck's ended up securing the duel with a win.

"Our players did a great job with first contacts, whether it be from the service line or receiving serves, we started off rallies well," said head coach Jeff Baxter. "Oregon is a good team, and we are excited at the opportunity to battle with them tomorrow."

The Pilots will take on the Oregon Ducks again tomorrow at Chemeketa College, in Salem, Ore.
 
Results
1'2: Cali Thompson/ Tani Stephens: (19-21),  (20-22), (---)
2's: Hannah Troutman / Katie Barker: (18-21), (19-21), (---)
3's: Emma Scanlan/ Morgan Robinson: (24-22), (19-21), (15-4)
4's: Monica Gajda/ Sarah Savoca: (22-24), (21-17), (15-10)
5's: Lauren Naatz/ DJ Milovic: (21-14), (21-14)