PORTLAND, Ore. --- The Portland Pilots volleyball team defeated the Wyoming Cowgirls in a battle of unbeaten teams on Friday evening in the North Portland Marriott Invite at the Chiles Center. The Pilots won in five sets, 25-12, 27-25, 28-30, 17-25 and 15-11.

The Pilots remain undefeated at 5-0, keeping first year head coach Jeff Baxter's without a loss in his career as head coach.  

"Excited that we were able to get back to a place where we could play "fearless" in that fifth set", Baxter said. "We are fired up about the challenge LIU Brooklyn poses for us tomorrow"

Senior Reghan Pukis led the Pilots with 22 kills, while sophomore Izzy Guzik and junior Cali Thompson both had double-doubles, with Guzik recording 13 kills and 13 digs, and Thompson getting 67 assists and 13 digs.

The Pilots gave the home crowd a nail-biter, as they dominated the Cowgirls early, but had to come back to win in the end.  

The Pilots came out the gates hot, going a on 7-0 run to begin the first set. Izzy Guzik had five early kills, as the Pilots would go on another 6-0 run to make it 14-3. The Pilots opening statement was personified by junior Shayla Hoeft, as she smashed a kill to the court to make the score 23-10. The Pilots would go on to win the set shortly afterwards at 25-12.

As the second set began, it was clear the Cowgirls came out to show they didn't travel west to be blown out in three sets. The Pilots would take the lead momentarily, thanks to a Shayla Hoeft kill to make it 7-6. Wyoming would continue to battle, giving the Pilots a run for their money and taking the lead numerous times. The Pilots were down 12-15 at one point, but crept back into the match and retook the lead at 18-17. After numerous lead changes, and going down to their last point twice, the Pilots calmed the storm and took the set 27-25.

The third set began like its predecessor, with both teams giving the home crowd a match to remember. With the Pilots and the Cowgirls both taking the lead multiple times, Portland was once again down to their last point with the score 24-21. They went on a 4-0 run to tie the set at 25, and exchanged the lead multiple times before falling to the Cowgirls, 28-30.

It took the Pilots awhile in the fourth set to find their groove, taking a timeout to recompose themselves after going down 2-7. The Pilots would continue to struggle to regain momentum of the set, and would go on to lose the fourth at 17-25.

The fifth and final set of the night was as close as it gets, with the Pilots and Cowgirls exchanging points every serve. Though Wyoming was able to beat the Pilots occasionally throughout the night, the Pilots were never broken: down 9-10, the Pilots went on a 4-0 run to take the lead and eventually the match, winning the last set 15-11.

Joining Pukis and Guzik in scoresheet, sophomore Liz Reich had 15 kills and seven blocks, and sophomore Carey Williams had 20 digs.

The Pilots will wrap up the North Portland Marriott Invite this Saturday, playing the Blackbirds of LIU Brooklyn at 12:00 PM at the Chiles Center.