The University of Portland men’s soccer team had four players selected to the National Soccer Coaches Association of America’s 2004 Far West Regional Teams. Junior midfielder Heath Pearce was a second team pick, while sophomore goalkeeper Luis Robles, junior defender Josh Brown and junior midfielder Alejandro Salazar all took third team honors. Salazar, a first team pick in 2003, was the only Pilot to garner all-region recognition a year ago.

The quartet helped guide Portland to its fourth-straight NCAA Tournament and on to the second round for the third consecutive season. The Pilots finished with a 12-8-2 overall record and were eliminated by top-ranked New Mexico on the road in the second round.

Pearce (Modesto, Calif.) finished the year strong with five goals and five assists in an attacking midfield role. Previously a two-year starting left-back defender, Pearce embraced the role change and scored all five of his goals in the team’s final 10 games, including two strikes in two postseason matches. He earned second team all-West Coast Conference honors for the second consecutive season.

Robles (Sierra Vista, Ariz.) played every minute as Portland’s netminder, leading the West Coast Conference with seven shutouts and 104 saves. Robles was named the WCC Player of the Week and to the national team of the week by both College Soccer News and Soccer America after a stellar weekend in early November. He made seven saves in a 0-0 tie at No. 6 California then stopped seven more shots in a 2-1 win at No. 15 Santa Clara to help ensure the Pilots of an at-large bid to the NCAA Playoffs. Robles was a first team all-WCC selection.

Brown (Portland, Ore.) was a force of a central defender in his second year as a full-time starter on Portland’s back line. His only point on the season came in a 2-0 win over Gonzaga when he assisted on the insurance goal, but his aggressive play and aerial skills put the clamps down on opposing attackers. Brown joined Robles as the only Pilots on the all-WCC first team.

Salazar (Portland, Ore.) finished second in the WCC with 22 points and led the team with seven goals and eight assists. Another Pilot with a role change, Salazar was shifted from his usual forward position to an attacking midfield role mid-season and reaped the benefits. The 2003 conference player of the year and 2002 freshman of the year, Salazar more than doubled his career assist total from three to 11, while also leading the team with seven goals. He was a second team all-conference honoree as selected by the league’s head coaches.