PORTLAND, Ore. --- The Portland Pilots women's soccer team begins play in the West Coast Conference this weekend when they travel to Los Angeles, Calif., to face the Loyola Marymount Lions on Saturday with kickoff set for 6 p.m. at Sullivan Field. The game was originally scheduled to be played at Merlo Field on the UP campus, but it was moved to LA due to the recent inclement weather in the Portland area.
 
Live video and stats are available for the match.
 
The Pilots opened their modified 2020-21 season with a dramatic 4-3 comeback win over Oregon State at home on Wednesday, Feb. 10. The Pilots recovered from 2-0 and 3-1 first-half deficits with the help of a hat trick from Taryn Ries. Her first goal came on a PK in the 29th minute, and she scored again in the 38th minute to make it a 3-2 game in OSU's favor at the break.
 
She completed the hat trick with the equalizer in the 70th minute when she finished with a header on a brilliant ball sent in by Elliott Winkelmann.
 
Then with only five minutes left in regulation, Jamie Rita found the back of the net with the game-winner. MJ Roe, who received a pass from Gabi Brummett left of the 18, whipped in a cross towards the far post, and that's where Rita finished to give the Pilots the thrilling win.
 
It's the third career hat trick for Ries, who was named the WCC Offensive Player of the Week.
 
The Lions began their season with a 1-1 tie at home against Cal Baptist, who led for a lot of the match after scoring in the 42nd minute. LMU's Madison Thomas leveled the score with a goal in the 87th minute, and neither team produced the game-winner during two overtimes.
 
LMU is under the guidance of first-year head coach Jenny Bindon, who was hired in December of 2019. Bindon spent the previous three seasons as an assistant coach at UCLA.
 
The Pilots are in the third year with program alum Michelle French at the helm. 15 players returned for Portland from 2019, and the team added a group of nine newcomers. Ries, who scored a team-high eight goals during her junior campaign, was selected to the 2020-21 All-WCC Preseason Team. The Pilots were picked to finish fifth in the annual vote of the league's 10 head coaches, while the Lions were selected eighth in the preseason poll.
 
The Pilots will be on the road again following their trek to LA when they play at Santa Clara on Saturday, Feb. 27.