Portland State University Athletics

PORTLAND, Ore. — There was no last-second heroics this time around for the Portland State women's soccer team against cross-town rival University of Portland. A year removed from an 89th-minute goal from Ocean Rideout that earned the Vikings their first-ever draw against the Pilots, the Vikings couldn't produce the same magic, falling 1-0 Thursday at Merlo Field.
 
Aliayha Saldana had the closest thing to a last-second chance for the Vikings (1-6-0). She dribbled into open space and fired from 30 yards out in the dying seconds. But UP goalkeeper Sophia Hills collected the ball with ease to seal the win for the Pilots (2-5-0).
 
The Pilots went up on a delayed penalty kick call in the 23rd minute. A handball by the Vikings got reviewed by VAR and called back about a minute later. UP's Violet Rademacher sank it into the bottom right corner of the net to give the game its only goal.
 
Saldana had a chance to put the Vikings up 1-0 just before the PK call. She fired a short from the top of the box that nearly curled into the top right corner of the net.
 
Outside of that, Elle Frazier had the best chance at a goal for the Vikings in the 67th minute when she worked herself loose in the upper right corner of the box. But she didn't put much on the shot and Hills collected it with ease.
 
The Vikings also had three straight corners around the 57th minute but didn't get a shot on goal out of any of them.
 
Portland State goalkeeper Finley Crabtree did well to keep the Vikings within striking distance. She blocked a shot from point-blank range to keep that match scoreless in the third minute. She dove to her right for another save in the 31st minute.
 
In the second half, UP's Aliyah Dockter tried to sneak one past Crabtree into the left bottom corner in the 66th minute, but Crabtree tracked it well for her fourth save of the match.
 
The Vikings will return home for their next match, as they host Boise State at 1 p.m. Sunday at Hillsboro Stadium.
 
MATCH NOTES:

• The Vikings fell to 0-9-1 all-time against the Pilots with Thursday's loss.
• Opponents are outscoring the Vikings 7-2 in the first 25 minutes of matches this season.
• The Pilots outshot the Vikings 13-to-5.
• Kamaria Hughes and Elle Frazier both made their returns from injury absences Thursday.

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