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HILLSBORO, Ore. — A 55th-minute goal from Montana's Savannah Witt proved the difference for the Portland State women's soccer team in its match against the league-leading Grizzlies Sunday, as they fell 1-0 at Hillsboro Stadium.
 
Sunday's result keeps Montana perfect in Big Sky play so far this season, as they improve to 4-0-0 in conference, while the Vikings fall to 1-2-1 in Big Sky play.
 
"The final score was disappointing today, but we created a lot of chances," PSU head coach Laura Schott said. "We all just need to keep looking forward and continue to get better as both players and coaches."
 
Witt's goal came off a long build up from freshman forward Hallie Widner on the right side of the field. Widner received the ball in space along the right flank, and dribbled the ball back to the middle of the field before taking a shot from the top of the 18-yard box. Portland State defenders deflected Widner's initial shot away from the goal, but it fell right to Witt's feet just outside the six-yard line, and Witt converted from there.
 
The goal was redemption for Witt, as she missed a golden opportunity for a goal just a few minutes earlier in the match, when she sailed a wide-open header past the right post in the 48th minute.
 
Witt's goal in the 55th minute put the Grizzlies up 1-0 over the Vikings, but the Vikings got a golden opportunity for an equalizer just a little bit later when Montana goalkeeper Kailey Norman was called for a foul in the box on PSU freshman forward Mackenzie Bean in the 59th minute, giving the Vikings a penalty kick. However, the Vikings clanged the ensuing penalty kick off the left post, and then couldn't make anything of the rebound.
 
The Vikings kept pressing after the missed PK, however, as they earned six corners after Witt's goal in the second half. Junior midfielder/forward Cori Bianchini also had a good look at a goal before Witt's score, as she sent a shot off the crossbar in the 50th minute, and then fired a shot on goal that Norman saved less than 30 seconds later.
 
The Vikings created a cluster of chances around the 14th minute in the first half as well, led by a couple of shots on goal from Bean. Bean started to open things up for the Vikings in the 13th minute, when she got a ball on the run after junior midfielder/forward Cori Bianchini flicked on a punt from junior goalkeeper Caitlin Plese. Bianchini left Bean with plenty of room to run under the ball, and Bean beat the last Montana defender on the play, leaving her one-on-one with Norman in goal. Norman had come off her line at a good time, though, and forced Bean to dribble around her rather than take a direct shot. That extra time allowed the Montana defense to recover, and they were able to pick the ball from Bean to negate the threat.
 
Bean came back with another chance in the 14th minute, again finding herself with the ball and Norman charging off her line. This time, Bean tried a quick shot that Norman blocked, but then got the ball back with room for another attempt. Bean's second shot found the body of a Montana defender just off the line, however, denying Bean a goal yet again.
 
Sophomore midfielder Bianca Munoz got her head on a shot in the 15th minute as well, but sent it just to the right of the goal.
 
Overall the Vikings outshot the Grizzlies 13-11 in the match, including a 10-6 advantage in the second half when the team was pressing for an equalizer.
 
The Vikings will hit the midway point of the Big Sky schedule in their next match, which will be Friday, Oct. 10, at 4 p.m. (MT), as the Vikings head out on the road to face Idaho State in Pocatello, Idaho. That match will kick off a split weekend between the road and home for the Vikings, as the team will then travel back to Portland to face Weber State Sunday, Oct. 12, at 1 p.m. (PT) at Hillsboro Stadium.
 
Match Notes: The Grizzlies' win Sunday ties the all-time series between Portland State and Montana at 10-10-2, as well as evening the teams' record in Big Sky matches at 9-9-2…The Vikings had won six of their past eight matches against Montana going into Sunday's match, and also carried a three-match winning streak at home over the Grizzlies…The Grizzlies had not beaten the Vikings on the Vikings' home turf since 2006.