LARAMIE, WYO. - The Portland Pilots won their first postseason match in program history, sweeping the Northern Colorado Bears in the first round of the NIVC tournament on Thursday afternoon. They took the match with set scores of 25-19, 25-15, and 25-18.

The Pilots 19th win of the year puts them tied for the most victories in a single season; Portland won 19 matches in 1986,  their first season as a D-1 program. 

"I'm very proud of our whole program, players, coaches and staff," head coach Jeff Baxter said post-match. "We're excited about the opportunity to keep playing volleyball."

Junior Katie Barker showed why she was named to the All-WCC Honorable Mention squad, leading both teams in total blocks (6) and kills (13), hitting an impressive .619% throughout the match. Senior Reghan Pukis aided in the attack, having 10 kills, and junior Cali Thompson led the match in assists with 34. 

The match began as a close affair, as both teams exchanged the lead early and often throughout the first set. The Pilots begun to slowly break away at 12-11, as a pair of blocks by Barker and sophomore Liz Reich gave Portland back the lead. The Pilots would go on to slowly increase their lead the rest of the way, finishing the first set on a 11-6 run that featured two kills and a solo block by Barker. They would take the first set at 25-19.

The second set began just like the first, as the Bears refused to let the Pilots gain the early advantage. Thanks to a 6-2 run, led by two kills by Pukis, the Pilots pushed out in front to a 15-10 lead. Despite the Bears cutting their deficit to 14-17, Pukis would once again take the reigns, leading the Pilots on a 4-0 run that included three of her 10 kills to extend Portland's cushion to 22-14. The Pilots would go on to take the second set at 25-15.

Seeking the sweep, the Pilots grabbed hold of the third set lead and refused to give it back. Barker once again came up big for the Pilots, having four of Portland's first five points to keep the Bears from taking an early lead. Despite solid resistance by the Bears, a 5-0 run by the Pilots that featured back to back service aces by sophomore Carey Williams would build their lead to 13-7. The Pilots would remain in control the rest of the way, completing the sweep with a third set victory at 25-18.

The Pilots move on to the second round of the NIVC, playing the winner of the Wyoming/Utah Valley match on Friday, November 30th.