Box Score I Video Highlights
PORTLAND, Ore. --- Portland senior forward Bryan Irwin scored twice as the Pilots cruised to a 4-1 win over the Santa Clara Broncos in a West Coast Conference men’s soccer game Friday night at Merlo Field. The Pilots overcame a steady downpour and scored twice before the break and two more times after en route to the win.
Senior Brayton Knapp and sophomore Frankie Lopez also scored for the Pilots, who improve to 4-3-2 (1-1-0 WCC) on the season. The Broncos fall to 2-5-2 overall and open play in the WCC at 0-1-0.
Knapp opened the scoring with his first strike of the season in the sixth minute. He took advantage of a failed SCU clear and buried a low, bouncing hook shot into the right side of the net from the left flank. The unassisted goal is Knapp’s fourth career strike.
The Broncos equalized 30 minutes later. The play began when Connor Mitchell made a run down the right side of the field all the way to the end line. Mitchell then fed Murphy Campbell at the top of the box. Campbell one-touched a pass to Kellen Wantulok, who went top shelf to even the score at 1-1. Both Mitchell and Campbell were credited with an assist.
The score remained at 1-1 until the final minute of the first half when Knapp fed senior Leland Wright on the end line just to the right of the SCU frame. Wright sent a cross right in front of the goal, where Irwin finished to give UP the 2-1 lead heading into the locker room.
The Pilots continued the offensive onslaught in the second half. In the 53rd minute, Irwin picked up his second goal, while Wright tallied his second assist. Wright set up the play by making a run down the right sideline. A Santa Clara defender got a foot on the ball, but Wright was still able to find Irwin, just outside the box. Irwin then took a couple of touches before beating SCU keeper Jeremy Del Re inside the left post to make it a 3-1 game.
Lopez capped the scoring in the 69th minute. Lopez took a perfectly placed feed from junior Collen Warner, made a move towards the 18-yard box and buried it into the back of the net from about 20 yards out.
The Pilots made the most of their shots, scoring four times on nine attempts. UP sophomore keeper Austin Guerrero was masterful in the net, finishing with four stops. Guerrero made a couple of spectacular saves in the second half to preserve the Portland lead.
Del Re finished with three saves for Santa Clara, which outshot UP on the night 16-9. Portland held a 5-3 advantage in corner kicks.
The Pilots next host the San Francisco Dons for a WCC match on Sunday at 1:30 p.m. at Merlo Field. The starting time was moved up one hour to accommodate USF’s travel plans.
