The former Bristol City keeper foiled Brighton with several fine saves to maintain the Pirates' undefeated away record stretching back to March.
Phillips should have been kicking the ball out of his net in only the second minute when a header by the unmarked Alex Revell bounced down and over the bar from the edge of the six-yard box.
After that, Phillips stopped everything a dominant Brighton threw at him to earn Rovers a seventh draw in 12 matches in all competitions.
In the first half he saved long-range efforts from Jake Robinson, George O'Callaghan and Dean Cox.
Phillips kept up the good work after the break with an outstretched left hand denying Revell's volley on the turn from eight yards.
The keeper also did well to deal with a long-range volley from Cox which bounced awkwardly in front of him before saving the best until last.
He came smartly off his line to smother the ball ahead of Revell with five minutes left after Robinson had put his strike partner through.
Robinson, returning to the starting line-up after a row with manager Dean Wilkins led to his exclusion from the squad at Swansea a week earlier, caused problems throughout with his pace and movement.
He was just off target in the second half when skipper Dean Hammond released him with a slide-rule pass.
Rovers lacked ambition but spurned two good opportunities of their own.
Andy Williams scuffed his shot in the first half following a mistake by Brighton substitute Adam El-Abd.
Williams later crossed for Richard Walker to wastefully blaze an angled volley over the bar.