PORTLAND—Leticia Soares scored a career-high 23 points in a 96-74 loss to Portland on Saturday afternoon.
 
The Toreros (8-18, 1-14 WCC) went into the locker room at the half tied 42-42, but a strong third quarter from the Pilots (11-14, 3-11 WCC) put the game out of reach for San Diego.
 
In addition to Soares' game-high 23 points, three other Toreros reached double-digit scoring. Sydney Hunter finished with 12 points, while Madison Pollock and Sydney Shepard each added 11 points. Pollock added six rebounds and a team-high five assists while Shepard went 3-of-8 from three-point range.
 
Patricia Brossmann chipped in nine points and collected a team-high eight rebounds.
 
Portland jumped out to a 27-19 through one quarter, but USD answered in the second with three three-point baskets and six points from Soares to tie it up 42-42 at halftime.
 
Soares added eight in the third and seven in the fourth but the Toreros could not overcome a strong third quarter from Portland, in which the Pilots outscored USD 33-12.
 
San Diego shot 48 percent from the field on 28-of-58 shooting, adding four threes. Collectively the Toreros shot 82 percent from the line (14-of-17) and collected 31 rebounds. Portland shot 54 percent and hit 12-of-24 from three-point range, collecting 25 points off of turnovers.
 
The Toreros remain on the road next week, traveling to face BYU on Saturday at 1 p.m. PT.