WHITTIER, Calif. -- A late first half goal and no shots put Lewis & Clark in a hole after the first 45 minutes in Saturday's 1-0 loss to the Whittier Poets at Graham Soccer Field.

The Pioneers recovered to outshoot Whittier, 8-2, the second half. Anna Saucedo and Isobel Fikso's attempts were on goal. 

Lyla Matar scored an unassisted goal in the 45th minute for the Poets. Lewis & Clark goalkeeper Hannah Osmundson, making her first collegiate start, had just saved back-to-back shots by Clarissa Field and Miranda Yzabala in the prior minute before allowing Matar's score. Osmundson (0-1-0) played the whole game and finished with a total of five saves.

"We definitely improved between our first half and second half," said junior defender Ashley Cox. "Our shape got a little better in the second half."

"It was really a tale of two halves," said head coach Jim Tursi. "The first half we didn't do well and the second half we did. It's really a matter of figuring out where everyone plays well."

The Pioneers (0-1-0) have 14 new players this season after losing eight graduated members from last year's team. 

Saucedo forced a save in the 49th minute during a stretch by Lewis & Clark where it forced five shots and two corner kicks in the first five minutes of the second half. Caroline Hennes and Saucedo had a team-high two shots apiece. Fikso's shot on goal came in the 77th minute.

"We still have a couple of kinks to work out, but definitely our flow is getting a lot better," said Cox, who is returning from a knee injury last season. "We need to improve our communication. There wasn't a lot of crossfield communication and I think that is why we got stuck in pockets and along the sidelines."

Lewis & Clark completes its opening weekend with a game at Chapman on Sunday.

Other Northwest Conference Scores - Sunday

William Smith 2, Puget Sound 1
Pacific Lutheran 2, Mary Hardin-Baylor 1 (2OT)
Cal Lutheran 1, Whitman 0