PORTLAND, Ore. - Under a sweltering sun, Portland CC suffered a non-region loss to Bellevue College yesterday, 3-1.

With temperatures reaching the upper 90's, the turf field at Rock Creek Fields was not kind to the participants. The deeper bench that the visiting Bulldogs enjoyed allowed for a steady rotation of players, whil the Panthers could only dress on subsitute.

Bellevue struck first on a well placed free kick. Payton Pine found the top corner from 20 yards out in the 17th minute. Natalie Hawkins added a goal in the 43rd minute with a strike from 18 yards. 

It looked to go from bad to worse before halftime, as Bellevue was awarded a penalty kick after a handball in the box by PCC. Emergency goalkeeper Jordyn James came up with a big save however, which lifted the Panther spirits.

The big save led to an attack from PCC, resulting in a free kick earned at he top of the penalty area. Mya Smith capitalized and smashed a shot in the net just before halftime.

After both teams took advantage of the break to hydrate, the second half began with the unrelenting heat a remaining factor. Neither team generated much danger on the attack, but Bellevue did squeeze in another goal. Daisy Morris latched on to a well placed through ball and tucked away a 3rd goal in the 59th minute. 

Later, Kiara Melendez nearly put one in for PCC, but her blast from 18 yards struck the woodwork and bounced away.

The Panthers will try to rebound versus Blue Mountain on Saturday, September 3.