The Portland Pilots came out strong and dominated from the opening whistle on Friday night. It took only six minutes for the Pilots to score against cross-town rivals Portland State and that was just the beginning. The Pilots went on to beat PSU 6-0 on Merlo Field.
After two games, the Pilots are a perfect 2-0 on the season while the loss puts Portland State at 0-2.
Junior forward Hannah Griffiths Boston had a hat trick, scoring three goals in the victory and now has four on the season.
“We haven’t seen a hat trick in a couple years now and it was nice to see her do it,” head coach Garrett Smith said. “But she’s a goalscorer, that’s why she got the starting nod this year.”
Griffiths Boston was proud of her hat trick, but was more focused on the efforts of her teammates saying that it “felt awesome” but according to Griffiths, getting the team win and putting on a good show for the fans was most important.
In the first half alone, after being substituted in in the 34th minute, senior midfielder Allison Wetherington also scored a pair of goals and assisted on another. Smith had high praise for Wetherington’s efforts on the field.
“Allison is a world class player,” Smith said. “If Allison Wetherington is playing well, that means we’re playing well.”
To top off the win, freshman defender Natalie Muth scored her first collegiate goal on a header off of a cross from Wetherington’s free kick in the 14th minute. After the game, she could only describe it as “awesome” and left Merlo grinning ear to ear.
Next, the Pilots head to the Bay Area to face No. 21 ranked University of California, Berkeley on Sunday at 12 p.m.
