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PORTLAND, Ore. ---Portland's Eddie Sanchez and Erik Edwardson both had a pair of goals and Derek Boggs tallied the game-winner as the Pilots scored five unanswered to claim a 5-2 win over the Pacific Tigers in a non-conference game played on Sunday afternoon at Merlo Field. The Pilots, who have scored a combined 10 goals during their past two games, improve to 3-5-3 on the year.
 
After the Tigers (2-7-0) lead 1-0 at the half, Pacific's Tristan Blackmon recorded his second goal of the game in the 54th minute when he freed himself up in the box and slotted the ball past Portland goalkeeper Paul Christensen and into the right side netting of the goal. The impressive finish put Pacific ahead 2-0.
 
But the Pilots responded in a major way and a goal by Sanchez, a sophomore, in the 59th minute began a six-minute tear for the Portland. Freshman Brandon Zambrano found Sanchez on the right side of the field, and Sanchez took a few touches before drilling a shot into the back of the Tiger net to pull the Pilots within a goal.
 
Less than a minute later, the freshman Edwardson scored a world-class goal to level the score for the Pilots. Edwardson took a couple touches that gave him enough space to get a shot off with his right foot. The ball bent over and around Pacific goalkeeper Josh Adachi and into the upper corner of the net from 18 yards out.
 
Portland then took the lead in the 65th minute off of a Hugo Rhoads corner. Rhoads, a junior, found senior Derek Boggs who headed the ball off of the cross bar. The deflection dropped down where a Pacific defender attempted to kick the ball from danger, but the clearance went straight off of Boggs and into the back of the net, giving the Pilots the 3-2 lead.
 
Edwardson made it a 4-2 game when he elevated in the center of the box and sent a perfectly placed header inside the left post, on a great ball from senior Matt Liberator.
 
And Sanchez capped the scoring with a goal from an impossible angle in the 9 th minute. He took a feed from Dirk van der Velde, turned and somehow finished into the top of the net from right of the right post.
 
Sanchez now has four goals this season in five games, while Edwardson increases his total to three. Boggs scores his first goal of the year.
 
 
The Pilots peppered the Pacific frame early, but it was the Tigers who scored the game's first goal against the run of play. In the 12th minute, Blackmon took advantage of a Portland defensive miscue and chipped one in from about eight yards out. The goal is Blackmon's fourth of the year and it gave Pacific a 1-nil lead.
 
Portland responded and continued to create quality chances throughout the first half. In the 30th minute, Rhoads sent a ball all the way across the box that found the feet of senior Michael Escobar. Escobar took a touch before cracking a shot that was saved by a diving Josh Adachi, Pacific's keeper. Adachi dove right and just got enough of it to slow the shot down before a defender could clear it.
 
Minutes later, Rhoads took a free kick from 20 yards out and sent in a bending ball that took a bounce near the far post. Adachi again came through with the save, this time swatting the ball away.
 
And then right before the half, the Pilots had perhaps their best chance when sophomore Rory Johnston rattled the cross bar with a shot from near the penalty spot. Rhoads again sent it in and Johnston had plenty of time to settle it before hitting the woodwork.
 
Portland finished the first half with a sizable 13-4 advantage in shots and claimed a 22-10 edge total.
 
The Pilots next remain at home to host Gonzaga in another game that will be a non-conference contest. The game is scheduled for Sunday, Oct. 12 at 1 p.m. at Merlo Field.