for immediate release Oct. 14, 2000

PILOTS SHUTOUT BRONCOS 2-0
PORTLAND -- Vanessa Talbott had a goal and an assist Saturday as #16 Portland beat #10 Santa Clara, ending the Broncos’ 19-match West Coast Conference unbeaten streak.

The Pilots improved to 11-2-0 and 2-0-0 in WCC play, while Santa Clara dropped to 9-4-1, 2-1-0 in the WCC. In the eight-year history of WCC women’s soccer, only Portland (five) and Santa Clara (three) have won conference titles.

Talbott earned an assist on Kylee Barton’s goal at 25:34, and later added a goal at 86:42 for the Pilots. Talbott had scored the overtime game-winner for Portland in 1997 against Santa Clara, which was the last time SCU had lost a WCC match.

Portland nearly took a 1-0 lead just 18 minutes into the match, when Lauren Mussallem’s shot in front of the goal was blocked by an apparent hand ball, but play continued without a call.

The Pilots outshot Santa Clara 6-2 in the first half and 12-7 for the game, and played a superb game of possession. Portland keeper Cheryl Loveless made two harmless saves for her 31st career shutout, second on the WCC all-time list.

On the opening goal, Talbott sent a through ball into the top of the box, and as Barton, a Bronco defender and the goalkeeper converged on the ball, the ball popped loose ahead of Barton, who slammed the ball into an open net.

Talbott’s goal was a bit more classic, as she back-heeled a pass to Mussallem to the left of the goal, who then dribbled toward the center before sending a through ball to Talbott. Talbott easily knocked her first touch past the diving SCU keeper.