PORTLAND, Ore. — Having trailed by as many as 13 points earlier, the Portland State women's basketball team had two looks at three-pointers that would have made it a one-point game in the fourth quarter against San Diego, but both missed. The Toreros held on from there, handing the Vikings their first loss of the season with a 57-47 victory Saturday afternoon at Viking Pavilion.
 
The Vikings (1-1) can be proud of the fight they showed, even if they didn't fully complete the comeback. The Toreros (2-0) came into this season having made the second round of the WNIT a year ago. They also held a significant size advantage over the Vikings that led to advantages in rebounds (31-to-24, San Diego) and points in the paint (38-to-18, San Diego).
 
And yet, the Vikings were in the game for all 40 minutes. If not for a few misses on shots the Vikings normally make, Saturday's game could have had a different outcome. Even with those misses, the Vikings could have completed the comeback if not for 25 turnovers that the Toreros turned into 29 points on the other end. More than half of the Toreros' points Saturday came off of turnovers.
 
"I really felt like when we took care of us and when we took care of the basketball, good things happened. But obviously, their points off of turnovers is something we need to improve upon," Portland State head coach Chelsey Gregg said afterwards.
 
"I thought we handled the full-court pressure well. It was in the half court that we struggled a bit. We got some good looks, but we weren't hitting shots like we can."
 
Nine of the Vikings' 25 turnovers came in the fourth quarter, which hampered the Vikings' ability to come back. The Vikings scored just six points in the fourth quarter and attempted only six shots in the period in part due to giving up those nine turnovers.
 
Still, the Vikings showed toughness throughout Saturday's game, including right at the start of the game. The Toreros opened up an 8-0 lead over the first four minutes, but the Vikings came storming back. The Toreros still led by seven at 16-9 in the second quarter when a flurry of three-pointers changed the game for the Vikings. Esmeralda Morales hit the first three-pointer to cut it to a four-point deficit, while Jada Lewis followed with two on back-to-back possessions that gave the Vikings their first lead at 18-16.
 
"We could have stopped and we didn't. I really thought the fight we showed was great today," Gregg said of the team's comeback from the early deficit. "It showed glimpses of the team that we're becoming and who we want to be. We're not going to back down. We're going to continue to be competitive even when things aren't going our way."
 
San Diego started to counter with a number of post looks. With the game tied at 21-all, the Toreros' Amanda Olinger got hot. She scored eight points in a 10-0 run for the Toreros that put them up 31-21.
 
The Vikings still finished the half well. Mia 'Uhila made a tough layup in the paint to snap San Diego's run. Cinco McCartney then collected a long rebound and found Morales on the outlet who took it to the free throw line and sank a 15-footer as time expired.
 
Another strong finish to the third quarter helped kickstart the Vikings' comeback in the second half. San Diego had pushed their lead to 13 points with a 10-3 run out of halftime, and still led 47-36 with less than a minute to go in the third quarter. Alaya Fitzgerald got the Vikings back within single digits with a three-pointer, while Morales got fouled on a tip-in with one second remaining the next time down the court. She hit both ensuing free throws to cut the deficit to six at 47-41 entering the fourth quarter.
 
Neither team scored over the first three minutes of the fourth quarter. Rhema Ogele finally cracked the scoreless stretch with a bucket that made it 47-43. A Morales steal then set up a left-wing three for Jada Lewis that would have cut it to one, but the shot clanged off the rim.
 
Morales answered a San Diego bucket with one of her own to make it 49-45. She then had her own look at a three that would have cut it one, but it, too, missed, and the Toreros closed the game on an 8-2 run.
 
Morales led the Vikings for the second straight game, scoring 13 points on 4-of-10 shooting to go with two rebounds and three steals. Morales also played all 40 minutes Saturday, the fourth time in her career that she's done that. 'Uhila scored eight of her 10 points in the first half, and also chipped in five rebounds and two steals. She and Cinco McCartney both finished in the positive in terms of their plus/minus stats. 'Uhila was plus-6, while McCartney was plus-7. Fitzgerald, meanwhile, finished with nine points on 2-of-4 shooting from beyond the arc.
 
Defensively, the Vikings forced 19 turnovers, which helped them hold San Diego to under 60 points despite the Toreros shooting 50.0 percent from the field (26-of-52). Morales led the Vikings with her three steals, while McCartney and 'Uhila added two each.
 
"We've just got to continue to attack and not allow our misses, our shooting to affect how we're defending and how we're executing. Sometimes we get a little down when that happens and we don't need to. We need to continue to bring the energy. That's just part of learning and growing with a young team, and not only that, but new pieces as well."
 
The Vikings now hit the road for two games next week. They play at Seattle University Thursday, Nov. 17, at 6 p.m. They'll continue on the road at Boise State Sunday, Nov. 20, at 1 p.m. PT / 2 p.m. MT.
 
Game Notes: The Vikings fell to 1-4 all time against the Toreros…Saturday's game was the first meeting between the two teams since the 1998-99 season…The Vikings assisted on only eight of their 18 field goals Saturday, after they had assisted on 20 of 22 in Monday night's season-opening win over Warner Pacific.