SAN DIEGO, Calif. --- Junior Connor Barbaree scored the game’s only goal in the 82nd minute as the No. 25 Portland Pilots defeated the San Diego Toreros 1-0 Friday night in front of 879 fans at the Torero Stadium. Junior Michael Nielsen assisted on the goal while senior goalkeeper Austin Guerrero notched six saves for the Pilots.
Barbaree’s second shot of the game resulted in the game winner. In the 82nd minute, Barbaree took a feed from Nielsen and ripped a shot off a Torero (4-5-1, 1-2-0 WCC) defender. Portland (5-1-4, 2-0-1 WCC) got the fortunate bounce off the defender, as the ball bounced over the keeper’s head and into the back of the net. It was Barbaree’s second goal of the season and Nielsen’s third assist.
Nielsen almost notched an assist in the first half, sending a long pass to senior Ryan Luke in the 33rd minute. Luke had a one-on-one with San Diego keeper Michael D’Arrigo, but was just a little too quick on his initial jump, resulting in an offside call.
San Diego nearly scored the first goal of the match in the 63rd minute as Patrick Wallen sent a rocket from about 15 yards out, but senior keeper Austin Guerrero made a diving stop near the post. The play, again, was nullified, this time the result of a San Diego foul.
Marcelo Carminatti, tied for second in the West Coast Conference in goals with four, had multiple looks for the Toreros, finishing with four shots, all of them on goal. Guerrero thwarted Carminatti and the rest of the Toreros all night, however, recording two first half saves and four second half saves. D’Arrigo notched two of his five saves in the second for the Toreros.
Portland continues their WCC road trip Sunday afternoon against the first-place LMU Lions (7-3-1, 3-0-0 WCC) at 2:30 p.m. at Sullivan Field.
