SAN FRANCISCO (Interstat) — In a game defined by a staggering third-quarter collapse and a frantic, record-setting fourth-quarter rally, the San Francisco Dons survived a chaotic West Coast Conference women’s basketball opener, edging the Portland Pilots 67-64 at War Memorial Gymnasium on Tuesday night.

The Dons, who improved to 8-5 overall and 1-0 in conference play, appeared to deliver a knockout blow in the third period, outscoring the Pilots 28-7 to turn a 29-26 halftime deficit into a commanding 54-36 lead entering the final quarter. The Pilots, who fell to 7-7 and 0-1, had managed just three field goals in the quarter, committing nine turnovers against a swarming San Francisco defense.

Portland’s response in the fourth quarter was historic and nearly miraculous. The Pilots erupted for 28 points, a program record for a single quarter in their NCAA Division I era, fueled by a barrage of three-pointers and relentless defensive pressure. They opened the period on a 20-4 run, cutting the deficit to 58-56 with just over five minutes to play. The surge was spearheaded by guards Rhyan Mogel and Dyani Ananiev, who combined for 19 points in the quarter.

San Francisco, which had seen its offensive rhythm vanish, clung to a narrow lead as the final minutes ticked away. With the Dons leading 65-62, Portland’ Florence Dallow converted a layup with four seconds remaining to pull the Pilots within a single point. On the ensuing inbounds play, San Francisco’s Sol Castro was fouled and sent to the line. She made the first free throw to extend the lead to 66-64 but missed the second. Portland’s Nicole Rodriguez secured the rebound and called timeout with 1.1 seconds left, giving the Pilots a final chance to tie or win.

The inbounds pass, however, was intercepted by San Francisco’s Aina Cargol, who was immediately fouled. Cargol made the first of two free throws to provide the final margin of 67-64. Her intentional miss on the second attempt left Portland with only a desperation heave from beyond half-court that fell short as time expired.

The game’s pivotal swing occurred in the third quarter, where San Francisco’s Mara Neira caught fire. The guard from Spain scored 14 of her team-high 16 points in the period, hitting four three-pointers during the Dons’ dominant stretch. Her back-to-back triples midway through the quarter pushed a 10-point lead to 16 and effectively silenced the Pilots’ offense for the duration of the period.

Portland’s late charge was a testament to resilience, led by Mogel’s all-around performance. The sophomore from Happy Valley, Oregon, finished with 14 points and 10 assists, orchestrating the fourth-quarter offense. Ananiev, a forward from Australia, led all scorers with 16 points, including three three-pointers in the final frame. Rodriguez added 12 points off the bench, all from beyond the arc, with nine coming in the fourth quarter.

For San Francisco, Neira’s 16 points were complemented by 14 points and three assists from Natasa Tausova of Slovakia and 12 points from Candy Edokpaigbe of Italy. Cargol, also from Spain, chipped in nine points and a game-high six assists.

The contest was remarkably sloppy, with the teams combining for 55 turnovers—28 by Portland and 27 by San Francisco. Both defenses were active, tallying 29 total steals. Portland’s interior defense was anchored by Julia Dalan, who recorded seven blocked shots.

Statistically, the game was a study in contrasts. Portland shot a stellar 52.6% from three-point range, making 10 of 19 attempts, but only 41.4% from the field overall. San Francisco shot 42.2% from the field and 38.1% from deep. The Dons won the rebounding battle 40-33, including a 12-9 edge on the offensive glass.

The victory gives San Francisco an early leg up in the conference standings, while Portland is left to ponder a monumental comeback that fell just short. Both teams return to WCC action on Friday, with the Dons traveling to face San Diego and the Pilots returning home to host Washington State.