PORTLAND, ORE – The Portland Pilots volleyball historic 2018 season came to a close at the Chiles Center on Thursday night, as the UNLV Rebels withstood multiple Pilot rally's to take their NIVC Quarterfinal match in four sets. The Rebels won with set scores of 19-25, 25-19, 30-28, and 25-20.

The Pilots (20-13, 6-12 WCC) won a program record 20 matches in 2018, including a 12-match winning streak to begin the season, another first for the Pilots.

Sophomore Izzy Guzik led the Pilots in kills with 15, and added eight digs. Junior Cali Thompson had her 12^th double-double of the year, recording 44 assists and 10 digs, while sophomore Carey Williams had a match-high 23 digs.

UNLV (22-11, 10-8 MWC) began the match on a 5-2 run, but would lose their first set lead shortly thanks to a 3-0 Pilot run to make the score 9-8 Portland. The Rebels would reclaim the lead, pushing it as far as 17-12, but would not last long: The Pilots would answer with an 11-0 run, featuring two kills and two blocks by junior Shayla Hoeft, to grab hold of the lead at 23-17. Hoeft would finish off the set with two more kills, taking the first set for the Pilots at 25-19.

Both teams would begin the second set battling for position, until an athletic dig by Williams led to Rebel's attacking error, extended Portland's lead to 10-7. The Rebels would respond by claiming the remainder of the second set, going on a 16-6 run that featured five kills by UNLV sophomore Mariena Hayden to take the lead back and win the set, the score 25-19.

The third set began much like the second set, with both teams struggling to separate themselves. Junior Katie Barker would assist the Pilots breakthrough first, going back to back with a kill and a solo block to extend their lead to 11-8. Portland would hold onto the lead for the majority of the set, with Guzik having seven kills to push the Pilots forward. Down 19-24, the Rebels would rebound and take the lead at 25-24 thanks to Hayden's fifth straight point. After the Pilots reclaimed the lead at 28-27, UNLV would once again comeback on a 3-0 run to take the third set at 30-28.

Riding their momentum, the Rebels came out in the fourth set to a 3-1 lead and would not give it back. The Pilots made it tight multiple times, getting as close as 10-9, and had a late 5-1 run to make the score 19-22. UNLV would go on to take match, winning the fourth set at 25-20.

The Pilots end their season with a 20-13 record, while UNLV (22-11) will face Iowa State in the NIVC Semi-Finals.

Portland made its first NIVC tournament this season, and it's the program's 1st overall playoff visit. The Pilots reached the quarterfinals with victories over Northern Colorado and Utah Valley.