PORTLAND, Ore.  A crossbar and a post separated Whitman College from host Lewis & Clark College Saturday afternoon in Griswold Stadium as the visitors hit one of each in a 2-1 Northwest Conference women's soccer loss to the home-standing Pioneers.

Whitman (0-9-1, 0-5-1 NWC) just missed finding a tying goal on the last shot of the opening half when Lena de Guzman rocketed a shot off the crossbar to allow the Pios to maintain their 1-0 lead into the halftime break.

The equalizer wasn't long in coming after the break as Pagan Hetherington scored 41 seconds into the second half to pull Whitman even.

Kristin Brady had taken possession for Whitman above the top left corner of the box and slotted a diagonal pass into the box for Hetherington who had cleared her defender.

Pioneer goalkeeper Hannah Osmundson broke toward her left but Hetherington pushed her shot back across the face of the frame where it skirted inside the left post.

Unfortunately L&C wasn't hospitable in letting the tie last too long as it pieced together a double-assist goal less than seven minutes later to break back in front.

Whitman's best chance to pull even again came in the 74th minute. Olivia Thomson had a nice scoring chance that was saved by Osmundson but the keeper wasn't able to maintain control and Saba Zewdie got a crack at the loose ball.

Zewdie's shot rolled toward the goal line but a defender was able to flick a boot for a touch that deflected the ball off the post, allowing the Pios to escape the threat.

Osmundson finished the game with four saves, while Whitman goalie Haley Case ended with three.

Whitman continues conference play with its next game, Saturday at noon against visiting Linfield College.