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SANTA CLARA, Calif. --- After trailing for most of the match, Portland's Eddie Sanchez leveled the score with a goal in the 86th minute, but the Broncos would respond with the game-winner only moments later to allow Santa Clara to escape with a 2-1 win over the Pilots at Buck Shaw Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
 
Sanchez notched the equalizer when the Pilots (4-7-3, 0-2-0 WCC) were awarded a penalty shot after Brandon Zambrano was tripped up inside the 18-yard box. Santa Clara goalkeeper Kendall McIntosh saved Sanchez's initial attempt, but the sophomore midfielder stayed composed and tapped in his team-best fifth goal of the season to even the score at 1-1.
 
And just when it appeared the game was headed for overtime, Santa Clara's (5-5-3, 1-1-0 WCC) Ryan Masch scored an improbable goal on a free kick from 25 yards out. Masch hit a perfectly placed shot inside the top right corner of the frame in the 88th minute, and the Broncos would hold on for the West Coast Conference win.
 
Carlos Delgadillo gave the Broncos an early lead when he finished with a header from the center of the box in the 18th minute. Masch sent the initial ball in on a free kick from 30 yards out, and Delgadillo did the rest with his third goal of the year, which made it a 1-0 game.
 
The Pilots created a couple of quality chances following the Santa Clara goal, including in the 34th minute when Michael Escobar nearly tied the game. The senior dribbled the ball about 30 yards up field, cut right and drilled a shot just high of the cross bar from outside the edge of the penalty area.
 
Portland attempted six shots during the first 45 minutes, and freshman goalkeeper Paul Christensen was his usual solid self in goal, making four saves.
 
The Pilots then claimed all of the momentum for most of the second half as the ball seemingly remained exclusively in Santa Clara's half of the field. Escobar hit a low bouncing shot from 20 yards out that was saved by McIntosh in the 53rd minute.
 
Sanchez then tried to chip the keeper in the 61st minute, but again McIntosh made the save. And then on a nice ball played in by Escobar in the 66th minute, Hugo Rhoads cracked a powerful shot on-target from about 12 yards out. McIntosh was there to make another game-saving stop.
 
Both keepers finished with five saves on the afternoon as both sides attempted 13 shots each.
 
The game featured eight combined yellow cards and Santa Clara was forced to play a man-down after Jared Hegardt was shown his second yellow, which resulted in a red, in the 61st minute.
 
The Pilots next take a little hiatus and don't return to action until Friday, Oct. 31 when they host the Loyola Marymount Lions at Merlo Field. Kickoff with the Lions is set for 7 p.m.