Pilots Fly Past Cyclones

Lincoln, Neb. ? University of Portland senior Christine Sinclair scored three goals and added one assist to power the Pilots past Iowa State, 5-0, in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament at the Nebraska Soccer Field on Friday afternoon.<?xml:namespace prefix="o" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office"?>

 

Sinclair, who extended her school record to 35 goals on the season, wasted little time in deciding the outcome for the Pilots (19-0-1). Sinclair found teammate Megan Rapinoe with a cross and Rapinoe beat <?xml:namespace prefix="st1" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"?>IowaState goalkeeper Joanna Haig high to give the Pilots a 1-0 lead just 5:02 into the game.

 

Just 2:24 later, Portland’s scoring duo reversed roles, as Sinclair knocked in her 33rd goal of the season off an assist from Rapinoe to give the Pilots a 2-0 lead.

 

The Pilots kept the pressure on over the next 10 minutes. After Natalie Budge scored her sixth goal of the season off an assist from Angie Woznuk at 16:10 to make it 3-0, Sinclair struck again just 24 seconds later with an unassisted goal at 16:34 for a 4-0 lead.

 

Sinclair, who increased her NCAA Tournament career goal-scoring record to 21 goals while tying the NCAA single-game scoring record with her three goals, said the Pilots certainly had things working their way throughout the day.

 

“It was just one of those days when everything seemed to go in, especially in the first half,” Sinclair said. “For the first 20 minutes, we were just on fire. It was just one of those days.”

 

Sinclair rested for much of the rest of the first half and early portion of the second half before returning to the field midway through the second period.

 

Sinclair put the finishing touches on Portland’s 5-0 win by completing her third hat trick of the season with her third goal of the day off an assist from Lindsey Huie at 80:49 to close the scoring.

 

Sincalir, a 5-9 forward from Burnaby, British Columbia, increased her school and West Coast Conference career scoring total to 243 points with the seven-point effort, while increasing her career goal total to a school- and conference-record 106.

 

Portland dominated the contest from start to finish by attempting 20 shots, including 12 in the first half, while placing 14 shots on goal. The Cyclones, who finished their season with an 11-7-3 record, managed nine shots with six shots on goal.

 

Cori Alexander and Ruth Gilliam combined on the shutout for the Pilots, as both goalkeepers produced three saves on the afternoon. It was Portland’s 14th shutout of the season, as the West Coast Conference champion Pilots have outscored their opposition 65-6 this season.

 

Portland advances to the second round to meet either the hosts from Nebraska or Creighton on Sunday at 1:05 p.m. at the Nebraska Soccer Field.