PORTLAND, Ore.---The Portland Pilots returned home to host No. 24 Pepperdine in a West Coast Conference volleyball match at the Chiles Center on Friday afternoon, fighting off the Waves in set three before Pepperdine rallied back for the 3-1 win. Pepperdine claimed the match with set scores of 25-18, 25-23, 20-25, and 25-15.
 
Mia Wesley led the Pilots with 17 kills, and just missed a double-double with nine digs. Kellie Hughes provided 26 assists, and Carey Williams came up with 24 digs for the Pilots in the match. Sophomore setter Noelani Helm contributed a solid all-around performance, finishing with five kills, 18 assists, seven digs, and three blocks for the home team.
 
24th-ranked Pepperdine (10-2, 10-1 WCC) managed to get out to a 9-5 edge to open the game, but the Pilots (2-11, 2-11 WCC) answered back with three scores in a row, including kills from Nevaeh Bray and Helm. The Waves followed with a short run soon after to create a four-point lead, which would extend to as many as seven. Attacks from Wesley and Bray looked to spark the Pilots, but Pepperdine's sizable gap carried the visiting side to go ahead 1-0 after the first frame.
 
The Pilots started strong in set two with a score from senior Liz Reich and a service ace from Chelsey Harmon creating a three-point lead at 7-4. Back-to-back point from Reich and Wesley helped push the Pilots' margin to four, and Portland controlled the majority of the set before the Waves were able to tie it at 16-16. Pepperdine took their first lead shortly after, but points from Wesley and Harmon kept the Pilots in it. Pepperdine would use a 3-0 run to reclaim a slim cushion, and would need three chances at set point before closing out the set win.
 
Portland got off to a hot start once again to open set number three, with Helm and Wesley kills building a 4-0 lead to begin the frame. Pepperdine crawled back to level it at 7s, but the Pilots reclaimed the lead after a 6-1 run with kills coming from Reich, Wesley and sophomore Jayde Harris. Portland used that momentum to secure the set with four unanswered points—including two more Harris attacks—with the final score provided by another Harmon ace to seal the win.
 
Pepperdine rallied back in the fourth installment, collecting the win with a .586 hitting percentage in the final set.

"We played some really good volleyball today against a tough opponent," said head coach Megan Burton. "Pepperdine is ranked #24 in the nation because they're a solid squad with some good offensive weapons. #18 is a physical threat and we'll look to slow her down tomorrow. We did a lot of good things on our side of the net today. When we pass well, our offense is tough to stop. Mia continues to do a lot of great things for us on the pin and I thought Nevaeh and Liz also had solid attacking performances today. With every match we continue to get better as a unit. We're a good team and it showed today in how we competed. We've got another shot tomorrow to come out and play Portland volleyball."

The Pilots and the Waves will compete in a second contest at the Chiles Center tomorrow, with the match set to begin at 1:00 p.m.