PORTLAND, Ore.- Sophomore striker Alejandro Salazar recorded his first career hat trick as the Pilots downed 10th-ranked San Diego, 4-2 in one of the better Portland matches of the season. San Diego (12-3-2, 4-1-0 WCC) had won their previous 11 contests and was a perfect 4-0 in the WCC entering the match, but Portland (8-8-0, 3-2-0 WCC) bounced back from a dismal Friday performance to snap the USD streak and get back on the winning track.

“It was a good result,” said Pilot head coach Bill Irwin. “The disappointing part of the game was the two goals we gave up, but the guys dug deep to pull it out. Overall it was a very good performance.”

Salazar jump-started the Pilot offense in the 40th minute off a sequence of passing. Miguel Guante came down the right side hard and sent a cross to the left post where Jarrod Weis was located. Weis centered to an oncoming Salazar who tapped in the finish from five yards out.

Less than minute later, Salazar found himself in the right place at the right time yet again. Heath Pearce initiated the score by rifling a shot that was stopped, but not gathered, by Torero goalie Lance Friesz. Salazar blasted the rebound to the right post, giving the Pilots a 2-0 lead.

San Diego battled back early in the second period tying the match after two quick strikes. In the 52nd minute, Michael Caso notched his third goal of the season following a cross by Scott Burcar that was shouldered by Matt McCausland to Caso for a seven yard score.

In the 55th minute, Calle Rendahl registered his second goal of the season after the Pilot defense failed to clear a a USD threat. Tommy Von Bromsen snatched the ball and flicked a pass to Rendahl who stopped and bent a perfect 20 yard shot just inside the right post on the top shelf.

Portland kept positive though and answered on Christopher Sanders seventh goal of the season in the 60th minute. Sanders left a pass between his legs to an attacking Kyle Tanner who fed Sanders a second later. The freshman rocketed a 10 yard shot to the lower left, past Friesz for the game-winner.

Salazar got his hat trick eight minutes later when Josh Simpson set him up nicely with a slot pass between defenders. Salazar was one-on-one with Friesz and beat the keeper to the low left.

The sophomore nearly put in his fourth goal with under three minutes left in regulation, but his shot was headed off the goal line by a San Diego defender.

“We came in on a mission,” said Salazar, who now has 10 goals on the season. “The attitude for us this game was winners don’t do their best, they win. And that’s what we did today.”

UP NEXT: Portland concludes regular season action on the road against San Francisco (Nov. 7) and Cal Poly (Nov. 9).