PORTLAND, Ore. – The Portland Pilots took their first loss of the season on Monday after falling to the Denver Pioneers 1-0. The defeat puts the Pilots at 1-1-0 on the year.

Aidan O'Toole was the lone scorer in this one, making his mark in the 17^th minute. It was the first goal the Pilots have allowed this season.

Portland tried to establish their build-up play to start this one, working their way up through the backline. Denver did the opposite, opting instead to employ a quick counterattack in order to take advantage of the slow play.

Denver broke the seal on scoring in the 17^th minute. The Pioneers got the ball at the top of the box and Stefan DeLeone tried his luck. Pilot keeper George Tasouris saved the first shot, but Aidan O'Toole was their on the rebound for Denver. His shot found its way past Tasouris and gave Denver the score, making it 1-0 Pioneers.

The rest of the half proved to be a very physical affair, with both teams battling for possession. The Pilots and Pioneers each drew two yellow cards in just the first half. Portland put together some promising looks to close the half off set pieces, but nothing crossed the barrier. Denver would hold a 1-0 lead at the half.

Portland made more of a push to start the second half, with their attack spearheaded by Buba Fofanah. The sophomore striker was omnipresent in the final third, hounding Denver with a pestering press. The pressure he put on Denver's backline helped create some early opportunities.

The Pilots in general had a much stronger offensive showing in the second half. The attacking trio of Fofanah, Brandon Cambridge and Sebastian Nava had excellent interplay in the box and almost connected on several opportunities. After getting off four shots in the first half, they had seven in the second.

But volume doesn't always translate to goals,. The Pilots played with force to close out the half, but Denver was able to bunker down just enough to prevent the Pilots from scoring. The Pioneers would prevail 1-0.

The Pilots will continue their homestand this weekend when they take on the 16^th ranked Oregon State Beavers. The two teams will face off on Friday, Sept. 3 with kickoff set for 7 p.m. Check PortlandPIlots.com for live video and stats. You can also check PortlandPilots.com for ticket options.