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PORTLAND, Ore. --- Portland's Noelle La Prevotte tallied the equalizer early in the second half and Danica Evans scored the game-winner in the 77th minute as the Pilots claimed a 2-1 win over the Saint Mary's Gaels in a West Coast Conference women's soccer game played on a picture-perfect Sunday afternoon at Merlo Field. The Pilots move to 2-0-0 in the WCC and improve to 5-5-2 overall.
 
After trailing 1-0 at the half, the Pilots came out of the break on the attack, and La Prevotte leveled the score with her second goal of the season in the 52nd minute. The play was set up by Ellie Boon, who was on the receiving end of a one-touch pass from Evans. Boon had possession near the endline, cut back to create some space and found La Prevotte at the top of the box.
 
The junior midfielder did the rest as La Prevotte took a touch and buried a shot inside the right corner of the net.
 
The game would remain tied 1-1 until Evans scored from an impossible angle after a pass from Haylee DeGrood, who did well to keep possession and keep the play alive. Evans was inside the box with her back towards the goal, turned, created a little space and blasted one into the top shelf from right of the right post.
 
It's the seventh goal of the year from Evans, a sophomore, and it would eventually go into the books as her fourth game-winner. DeGrood, a junior, becomes the 12th Portland player to register an assist this season.
 
The Gaels were given a golden opportunity in the 78th minute when Saint Mary's was awarded a penalty shot after a foul was called inside the 18-yard box. Samantha Dion then appeared to level the score when she tucked the PK into the left corner of the net, but head referee Alejandro Mariscal ruled players had encroached too early.
 
And on the re-do, Anne Whipple pushed her attempt wide, and the Pilots would escape still leading 2-1.
 
The Gaels didn't get many more opportunities from there and Portland did well to run out the clock.
 
Portland freshman goalkeeper Taylor Luty, who dove in the right direction on the Whipple PK, finished with three saves, while her counterpart from Saint Mary's Julia McDonald countered with four.
 
McDonald made a pair of impressive shots in the second half, first with a diving stop on a shot off the foot of senior Emily Sippel. Sophomore Allison Wetherington then drilled a shot from near in the top of the box, which was plucked out of the air by McDonald.
 
Portland senior Rebekah Kurle had the first good look of the game after sophomore Devlyn Jeter sent a free kick into the area from about 40 yards out in the 27th minute. Kurle did well to knock it down and hit a shot, but it was just wide of the right post.
 
La Prevotte then set up the Pilots' next opportunity when she won possession in the box while posting up a defender. La Prevotte sent a short pass to sophomore Parkes Kendrick, who forced McDonald into making a diving save to preserve the 0-0 tie.
 
But on the other end, first-half sub Crystal Shaffie gave the Gaels a 1-0 lead with her first goal of the season in the 39th minute. On a thru ball from Samantha Dion, Shaffie poked a shot by Luty, who had come off her line to challenge. The goal from 20 yards out let allowed Saint Mary's to take a slim lead into the locker room at half.
 
The Pilots next hit the road for a pair of challenging WCC games. First Portland will be in Provo, Utah, to face the BYU Cougars on Thursday night for a 6 p.m. (Pacific) game. On Sunday San Diego will host the Pilots at 11:30 a.m. at Torero Stadium.