Box Score I Video Highlights

PORTLAND, Ore. --- Ricardo Carrillo scored two goals and had two assists, Jaime Velasco had a goal and two assists and the Portland Pilots opened play in the West Coast Conference with a 4-1 win over the visiting Gonzaga Bulldogs on Wednesday night at Merlo Field. Steven Evans also chipped in with a goal and an assist as the Pilots improve their overall record to 3-4-1 (1-0-0 WCC).
 
Evans’ goal will go in the books as the game winner, but it was Carrillo who started things off for the Pilots when he found the back of the net just 37 seconds into the game. The goal is tied for the third fastest in UP program history, and both Evans and Velasco notched an assist on the play.
 
After Gonzaga (4-4-0, 0-1-0 WCC) equalized on a penalty kick in the 13th minute, Evans scored the go-ahead goal with the shot of the game. Velasco played a ball into Carrillo, who was able to send a pass across the box from the endline right of the goal. Evans, a junior forward, deftly finished with a back-heel shot that easily beat Gonzaga goalkeeper Chris Lowrimore in the 43rd minute.
 
With the Pilots still leading 2-1 after the break, it was more Carrillo and Velasco, who scored his first collegiate goal in the 60th minute. Carrillo ran onto a ball sent over the top, took a couple of touches and found Velasco in the middle of the box. The freshman forward then drilled a shot into the right side of the net to hand the Pilots a 3-1 lead.
 
Carrillo then capped the scoring on an absolute blast in the 83rd. A Gonzaga player tried to clear an attempted UP cross, but the ball fell right to Carrillo. The junior buried a shot into the upper left corner that Lowrimore had little chance of saving.
 
Portland junior goalkeeper Justin Baarts maintained the lead with a handful of saves during the second half. With about 15 minutes remaining, Baarts made a great save on a blast from Nate Pacheco from just inside the top of the 18-yard box.
 
Baarts finished with six saves on the night, while Lowrimore made two. And while GU held a 19-10 advantage in shots, the Bulldogs claimed just a slight 7-6 edge in shots on-goal.
 
The Pilots next remain at home for another WCC match when they host the San Francisco Dons on Friday night. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. at Merlo Field.