Box Score Oct. 15, 2010
Box Score
PORTLAND, Ore. - The mystique of Merlo Field continued its stranglehold on LMU as #2 Portland scored twice in the first half for a 2-0 victory in a West Coast Conference match Friday night in Portland, Ore. The Lions (8-4-1, 0-1-1 WCC) remain winless at Merlo Field while the Pilots (14-1-0, 2-0-0 WCC) run their conference winning streak to 23 matches.
Portland, the highest-scoring team in the WCC, wasted no time in putting the Lions on their heels. The Pilots sent six shots at the Lion goal before the Lions could get their first, with Taylor Brooke nearly giving the hosts the lead in the 17th minute when her shot came back off the post.
The Pilots would take the lead in the 30th minute when Michelle Cruz got free in the Lion box and took in a pass from Ellen Parker. Cruz's shot from 12 yards out beat LMU freshman goalie Brittany Jagger into the lower right corner.
Ten minutes later, the Portland lead would double. Elli Reed fed Hailey Kreminski inside the penalty area and Kreminski chipped an on-rushing Jagger.
Undetered by the 2-0 deficit, LMU nearly scored on its first shot of the contest. Just seconds after Kreminski's goal, senior Kelley Lawson took aim from the top of the box. Her shot beat Hailee DeYoung but the Pilot keeper was spared as the shot clattered off the crossbar. Freshman Tawni Martino followed up, only for a Pilot defender to recover in time to charge down her shot.
The Lions regrouped at halftime and began the second period the way they ended the first, on an offensive assault. Over the first 12 minutes of the half, LMU sent four shots at the Pilot goal, with junior Brittany Sanford and senior Julie Gallaudet each drawing saves out of DeYoung.
DeYoung was the busier of the two goalies in the second half, making all five of her saves. Jagger stopped four shots in total for the Lions and was aided by her defense, which cleared Kendall Johnson's 84th-minute shot off the line. Portland finished with a 16-10 shot advantage.
LMU concludes its road trip on Sunday with a noon kick-off at Gonzaga.
- GO LIONS -
