No. 14 USC Nips No. 2 Pilots, 2-1

Portland, ranked No. 2 entering the weekend, falls to 7-3-0 on the year, while the Trojans improve to 8-1-1 overall.

Amy Rodriguez scored her third goal of the year to get USC the upset win over Portland. Photo courtesy: USC Athletics

LOS ANGELES - After a hard-fought overtime loss to No. 8 UCLA on Friday and with just four bench players available on Sunday, the shorthanded Portland Pilots dropped their second consecutive decision, a 2-1 loss to No. 14 USC at McAlister Field.

Portland, ranked No. 2 entering the weekend, falls to 7-3-0 on the year, while the Trojans improve to 8-1-1 overall.

It was an evenly played match that presented both teams with quality scoring chances throughout.

USC’s Amy Rodriguez broke a 1-1 tie and provided the game-winner in the 69th minute.

Rodriguez ran on to a nice through ball from Megan Ohai and it was a footrace between her and Pilot freshman keeper Hailee DeYoung into the right side of the box.

DeYoung dove low, but Rodriguez was able to chip the ball over the onrushing keeper and under the crossbar.

USC gained the initial lead in the 31st minute when defender Kasey Johnson sent a deep ball into the Pilots’ penalty box.

Ohai beat DeYoung to the ball and headed it to substitute Alyssa Davila who tapped it into the open net for her fourth strike of the season.

Portland equalized in the 42nd minute off of a corner kick. Senior defender Kelli Cronkrite serviced a ball to the far post in the right side of the box.

Sophomore Michelle Enyeart tried to cross it in front of the goal, but a USC defender knocked it back to Enyeart.

She beat one defender then sent a low pass to an unmarked Angie Woznuk right in front of the net.

Woznuk tapped it in for her third goal of the year and Enyeart was credited with her team-leading 10th assist.

The Pilots threatened again early in the second period as Enyeart headed a cross from Sophie Schmidt just wide and then had an attempt from the top of the box sail wide right.

In the 63rd minute, Cronkrite took a free kick from 30 yards and hammered it to the upper left, but USC goalie Kristin Olsen made a nice lunging save.

Rodriguez nearly made it 3-1 in the 88th minute as she chipped DeYoung, but the attempt went off the top of the cross bar.

Budge took the ensuing goal kick and curled a left-footed attempt high and to the left of Olsen, but the sophomore held on to preserve the win.

USC held a 14-13 edge in shots for the match, while both teams had six shots on goal. Portland had a 5-4 margin in corner kicks.

DeYoung was inserted in the starting lineup after primary starter Kelsey Davis was recovering from a mild concussion suffered in Friday’s loss at UCLA.

That injury thinned the Pilots to just four available bodies off the bench, as six other players were injured or unavailable.

Portland will have just one game upcoming this week, a match at Oregon on Friday at 7 p.m.

Source: UP Athletics

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