LOS ANGELES, Calif. - Loyola Marymount’s Armando Melendez scored the game’s only goal on a penalty kick as the Lions handed the Portland Pilots their second consecutive 1-0 loss in a West Coast Conference match in Los Angeles, Calif., on Sunday afternoon. The Pilots, who lost 1-0 to San Diego on Friday, are now 4-9-2 for the season, 2-6-1 in the conference. LMU improves to 6-6-4, 4-3-1 in the WCC.

The first half was physical as two Pilots, Tor Southard and Miguel Guante, were issued yellow cards within the first ten minutes of the game. The physical play led to a Loyola Marymount penalty kick in the 29th minute when the officials ruled an LMU player was taken down in the box. Pilot junior keeper Luis Robles dove in the right direction and got a glove on Melendez’s shot, but the ball popped straight up and into the net to make the score 1-0.

Portland’s Brian Cotlove was also issued a yellow card later in the first half as LMU went into the locker room with the 1-0 lead.

The Pilots stepped up the pressure in the second half which lead to several quality chances. Sophomore midfielder Jeff Griffin had a good look in the 70th minute when his shot from 25 yards out hit the crossbar.

Portland continued to attack the goal throughout the second half but ultimately were unable to find the back of the net. In the 84th minute, sophomores Matthew Dallman and Michael Gavin fired a pair of shots only seconds apart, both were saved by Lion junior goalie Robert Flores.

Freshman Alex Elliott and senior Patrick Mooney also had quality shots during the period, with Mooney’s shot coming in the last minute of the game. Portland totaled 16 shots for the game, seven on goal. Flores ended up with six saves.

LMU recorded 18 shots, seven on goal, with UP’s Robles making six saves.

The physical play continued into the second half as LMU’s Michael Ogletree was issued a yellow card in the 87th minute.

Next up for the Pilots is a non-conference match against the University of Washington Huskies in Seattle, Wash., on Friday, Nov. 4, at 7 p.m. The Pilots then return to conference play with a game at Saint Mary’s on Sunday, Nov. 6, in Moraga, Calif., at 2 p.m.