PORTLAND, Ore. --- Portland's Jacobo Reyes and Luke Hendel each found the back of the net in the first half and the Pilots held on down the stretch to defend the home pitch with a 2-1 win over the UC Riverside Highlanders at Merlo Field on Friday night. Hendel's goal proves to be the game-winner, his third on the year.
 
All three of Hendel's goals this season are game-winners.
 
Reyes opened the scoring for the Pilots (5-3-1) after he was fouled inside the area, earning a penalty for the home side in the seventh minute. The freshman then stepped to the spot and slotted it in to hand the Portland an early 1-0 lead with his second goal this fall.
 
The game remained 1-0 until the 35th minute. That's when Rey Ortiz had possession to the right of the 18 before sending a well-struck cross towards to center of the box. Greg Tracey was there to get a touch on it, re-directing it to Hendel, who hit it inside the left post to push the Portland lead to 2-0.
 
Coming out of the locker room, Portland's Gio Magana-Rivera had the first decent chance of the second half when he hammered a shot from distance towards the upper 90. But the attempt was wide as match stayed 2-0 in the Pilots' favor.
 
From there the Pilots did well defensively to force the Highlanders into taking shots from distance, and goalkeeper Nico Campuzano provided a clutch save in the 65th minute. UC Riverside's Daniel Aguirre took a crack at goal from just outside the top of the box, but Campuzano came through with a diving stop to push the shot wide.
 
The Highlanders did pull one back when they were awarded a PK in the 76th minute, and Robert Garcia-Vargas finished to cut the deficit in half.
 
Hendel nearly had his second of the night in the 77th minute when he drilled a shot towards the fame from a tight angle, 10 yards out. UCR keeper Edwyn Gutierrez was there for the stop to keep the Highlanders within reach.
 
UC Riverside (5-4-2) then searched for the equalizer during the match's final 10 minutes, but the Pilots would close out the game to notch the home win. Campuzano finished with three saves on the night.
 
The Pilots next open play in the West Coast Conference when they host the Pacific Tigers next Saturday night. Kickoff at Merlo Field is set for 7 p.m.