PORTLAND, Ore. – The Portland Pilots protected their home court with a hard-fought 3-2 victory over the CSUN Matadors on Saturday at the Chiles Center. The non-conference win pushed Portland's overall record to 5-1 and capped off a perfect 2-0 showing at the Portland Invitational.

Captain Maui Robins powered the offense with a career-high 23 kills, while Lucia Busso and Elin Larsson chipped in 14 kills apiece to highlight a balanced attack. The Pilots also tallied 10 service aces and recorded 18 team blocks to fuel the win. On the defensive end, Tinoa Woodward-Hart anchored the back row with a career-high 28 digs.

Game Notes
» Portland had three players in double figures in kills: Maui Robins (23), Lucia Busso (14) and Elian Larsson (14).
» Portland attackers were helped by a match-high 40 assists from Havannah Hoeft. 
» Maui Robins led the offense, finishing with a match-high 25.5 points.
» Taina Kaauwai had a match-high three aces in the win.
» Portland served up three aces on the way to a fifth-set victory.
» Two Pilots set new career highs: Maui Robins with 23 kills and Tinoa Woodward-Hart with 28 digs.

How It Happened

SET 1 | Portland opened strong with a 25-19 win, hitting .316 with 16 kills. The Pilots ended on a strong note, stretching their lead to its largest point in the set to finish out the set.

SET 2 | CSUN responded in the second set with a 25-15 win to even the match at 1-1. Portland dropped the opening point and trailed the rest of the way.

SET 3 | The Matadors carried their momentum into set three, taking it 25-17 to move ahead 2-1. The Pilots faced an early deficit and couldn't quite close the gap.

SET 4 | Portland bounced back with a 27-25 win to force a decisive fifth set. The Pilots came out on top of a close battle, winning in a set that was tied two times and had one lead change. The Pilots win came from a set where 20 of their 27 points came via kills.

SET 5 | Portland battled back from a 2-1 deficit to win the final two sets, capped by a 20-18 thriller in the fifth. Strong serving fueled the finish, as the Pilots delivered three aces in the set—including match point. At 19-17, back-to-back challenges from both benches reset the score to 18-18. After the lead changed hands four times, the Pilots took control for good at 19-18 and rode that advantage to victory.

Next up, the Pilots travel to Manoa, Hawai'i, for a two-game series against the Rainbow Wahine on Sept. 11 and 12, both starting at 10 p.m. (PST). Fans can watch live on ESPN+, with stats available at PortlandPilots.com. For full coverage, visit PortlandPilots.com.

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