PORTLAND, Ore. --- The Portland Pilots extended their winning streak to open the season by defeating Fresno State 3-1 in the home opener in the Chiles Center on Friday afternoon. After the Bulldogs won the first set, Portland claimed the next three with scores of 19-25, 25-20, 25-23, and 25-17 to prevail. Portland's 4-0 record marks the best start to a season in program history.
 
"Our left side attacking stood out today with Reghan and Hannah cleaning up some medium digs and passes," said head coach Brent Crouch. "They've worked hard on that, and it's paying off. From a team perspective, we have to come out with some better energy on defense and make better reads and moves. That improved as the match went on. Let's do it from the beginning."
 
The Pilots (4-0) and Bulldogs (3-2) were tied early in the first set before Taylor Slover gave the lead to Fresno State with a kill. Up by three, the Bulldogs continued to push, extending their lead to 15-11. Portland senior Sarah Savoca and freshman Liz Reich then sparked a three-point run to close the gap and eventually catch Fresno State at 16-16.  But in the final points of the first set, the Bulldogs caught fire with a five-point run to win it 25-19.
 
Portland came out strong in the second set with a four-point run, led by three kills from senior Hannah Troutman. Slover and Brielle Hefner tried to answer Portland's 6-1 lead with kills for the Bulldogs, but the Pilots maintained their five-point lead at 12-7. The Bulldogs battled back, but moments later, junior Reghan Pukis would add two kills and freshman Carey Williams produced an ace to bring the set to 20-18 in favor of the Pilots. Portland would then surge ahead 24-20, and Troutman finished up an exceptional game, recording her sixth kill of the set as the final point.  
 
With the Bulldogs ahead 7-4 to start the third set, Pukis produced back-to-back kills to bring the Pilots within one. The Pilots then battled back to even the score 15-15, but Fresno State would create a three-point gap, courtesy kills from Brielle Hefner and Aubrey Folk. Savoca then registered a kill and an ace to bring the set to 20-19 in favor of FSU, and the two teams exchanged points from there. At 22-22, Troutman connected on a clutch kill to push the Pilots ahead, and Pukis followed with a kill, prompting a time out called by Fresno State coach Lauren Netherby-Sewell. At set point, the Pilots then completed the comeback winning 25-23 and taking the overall 2-1 lead.
 
In the final set, the two teams began tied at 6-6, before Portland went on a run to take the lead 10-7. Troutman and Reich then extended the lead to 13-8, before Troutman ended a lengthy point with an emphatic kill, making it 16-9. Folk led a response for Fresno State with kills to try spark a comeback, but the Pilots continued to push to the last points of the set. Sophomore Katie Barker came up big during final points with a huge solo block, before sophomore Cali Thompson placed a game-clinching kill in the center of the Bulldogs' court.
 
Troutman and Pukis each produced double-digits kills with 20 and 19, respectively. Williams and Thompson also had double-digit stats with 23 digs and 43 assists.
 
The Pilots continue tournament play tomorrow morning at 9:30 a.m. against Alabama State, which is will be followed by an evening match against Oregon State at 6:30 p.m. The match against the Beavers will be televised live on CSN Northwest.