MOSCOW, Idaho---Setter Paloma Bowman registered a triple-double and the Pilots rallied back from a first set loss to start the 2021 season with a 3-1 win over Nevada in the Idaho Volleyball Classic at Memorial Gymnasium on Friday morning. Portland claimed the match with set scores of 23-25, 25-18, 25-22 and 25-21.
 
Bowman produced an outstanding individual performance in her Portland debut with 13 kills, 23 assists, and 18 digs to earn her first career triple-double as a Pilot, and finished with a .545 attack rate. The Pilots combined for a .303 hitting percentage in the match.
 
Outside hitter Jayde Harris led all scorers with a match-high 14 kills, and junior Noelani Helm dished out 26 assists on the day. Libero Grace Zilbert added 17 digs for the Pilots, and the team showed a strong serve game with 10 total aces in the match.
 
After the Wolf Pack (0-1, 0-0 MW) were able to overcome the Pilots (1-0, 0-0 WCC) in a competitive first set, Portland managed to come back from another small deficit at the start of the second frame. Harris got Portland on the board first, and two more kills from sophomores Jiana Lawson and Ryann Gregg leveled the score at 4-4. The teams would continue to trade points after that until a couple of Nevada errors and another Lawson attack handed the Pilots a three-point edge at 13-10. Portland controlled the set from that point on, and extended their lead to five at 17-12 provided by a Zilbert ace and a Gregg kill. The Pilots maintained that cushion through the end and two Bowman aces helped secure the set win to level the match 1-1 overall.
 
Portland would have to come from behind again in set three after Nevada jumped out to a 6-3 lead at the start. Moments later, a 6-0 Portland run including three Helm aces gave the Pilots the edge and a crucial swing of momentum to push their gap to as many as six at 15-9. Portland stayed ahead through the end of the set, although Nevada at one point narrowed the margin to just two. Lawson then answered with two scores to grant the Pilots the set point opportunity, and the team in purple would capitalize to carry a 2-1 lead into the fourth set.
 
The Pilots set the tone for the final installment by opening on a 3-0 run with kills from Harris, Helm, and Bowman. Nevada eventually broke even at 5s and swung the score in their favor shortly after, but Portland regained the lead on a kill by Gregg and a service ace from freshman Keilani Mumolo at 11-9. The set stayed close through the middle, and the two teams were tied close to the end at 18-18. That's when Bowman connected on a dime from Helm to give the Pilots a two-point lead and force the Wolf Pack to call timeout. Nevada kept up the pressure coming out of the break, but in the end two kills from Harris would be enough to seal the match for the Pilots.
 
"Great team win today for the Pilots!" said head coach Megan Burton. "Nevada is a solid team and it was a great battle back and forth between us both. Nevada challenged us from the service line and our serve receive struggled at times. But once we settled in we were able to run a highly effective offense."
 
"Our setters did a great job spreading the offense and getting all attackers involved," said Burton. "We served tough for the baseline, something that we've been working on this training camp."
 
"It was a team effort and everyone contributed to this win! Proud of the ladies for pushing through and finding a way to finish some tight sets at the end. Looking forward to getting another opportunity to compete this afternoon against a good Idaho team."
 
Portland will have a short break before gearing up for their second match of the day against tournament hosts Idaho at 4:30 p.m.