The No. 6 Portland Pilots will host the Nike Invitational this weekend at Merlo Field at the Clive Charles Soccer Complex. Washington, San Diego State and Northern Arizona will join the Pilots to comprise the tournament field. Washington and SDSU kick off the action on Friday, Sept. 12 at 3 p.m., followed by Portland and NAU at 5:30 p.m. The night is concluded when the UP men’s team faces Washington live on Fox Soccer Channel at 8 p.m. The weekend concludes on Sunday with UW-NAU at noon and UP-SDSU at 2:30 p.m.

Game Coverage

     All non-nationally televised UP home soccer matches will be video streamed (subscription) live at www.pilotsvideo.com, while free audio streams and live stats will continue to be available at www.portlandpilots.com.

Ticket Information

     Single game tickets for all Portland home events can be purchased through Ticketmaster at (503) 224-4400, online at www.ticketmaster.com, at all Ticketmaster outlets, as well as in-person at the Pilot Box Office (11am-5pm, M-F).

Pilots Briefly

• In a scoring frenzy last weekend, the Pilots shut out Kennesaw State, 8-0, and dished out the same fate to Colgate, 6-0.

• Portland has now outscored opponents 18-2 and have outshot opponents 80-34.

• Sophomore Sophie Schmidt started every match for Canada at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and has returned to the lineup off the bench for the last four matches. Schmidt scored the OT game-winner against then-No. 1 USC.  

• Foxhoven was also named the Top Drawer Soccer National Player of the Week, earned spots on both the Soccer America Team of the Week and the Soccer Buzz Elite Team of the Week, as well as the WCC Player of the Week.

• Sophomore defender Ellie Reed also landed on the Soccer Buzz Team of the Week listing and recorded two assists in each match this past weekend from her left back position.

• Junior goalkeeper Kelsey Davis recorded both shutouts last weekend and has only ceded two goals this season making her goals-against-average 0.39.

• Senior Megan Rapinoe has returned this season after sitting out most of 2007 (knee) and has been a dominant force in the midfield. Rapinoe will be looking to net her first goal of the season this weekend.  

• The Pilots lost redshirt senior Rachael Rapinoe for the season after she tore her ACL in the first half against USC on Sept. 1. It marks the second consecutive season that Rapinoe has suffered a season-ending knee injury.

• Five starters and 14 letterwinners return from 18-4-0 team in 2007.

• Michelle Enyeart, Elli Reed and Keelin Winters are expected to be named to the USA Under-20 National Team for the 2008 FIFA World Championships this November-December.

• Enyeart and Reed named to MAC Hermann Preseason Watch List.

• Freshmen class ranked No. 7 nationally by Soccer Buzz.

• The Pilots are ranked No. 5 by Soccer America and No. 6 by the NSCAA, Soccer Buzz and Soccer.

Scouting Washington

     The still undefeated Huskies defeated Colgate (4-1) and Kennesaw State (2-0) last weekend, bringing their record to 4-0-0. Kelly Joswick made Husky history by scoring just 37 seconds into the match against Colgate, the fastest goal in UW women’s soccer history. Veronica Perez’s five goals tie her for the top spot in Pac-10 goals scored, scoring four in the last three games.  Several freshmen have made an early impact, with Tess Bartlett scoring her first career goal against Colgate, and freshman goalie Kari Davidson, who hails from Portland, Ore., getting her first start in goal against Kennesaw State, recording her first collegiate win and shutout. Keep an eye on senior Melissa Beal, who is just two goals away from breaking into the Husky all-time top 10 list for career goals scored.

Head coach Lesle Gallimore led the Huskies to a 5-13-1 record last season and returns to UW for her 15th year. 17 letterwinners and seven starters returned this fall, in what has been their best start to a season since 2004, which ended with an NCAA quarterfinals appearance.

UP leads the all-time series 22-6-1. The teams do not meet this weekend but face each other on Friday, October 3 in Portland, Ore.

Scouting Northern Arizona

     The Lumberjacks sit at 2-3-1 after a 1-1 split this past weekend at home, blanking Southern Utah (1-0) and falling to Texas Christian (1-0). Redshirt freshman goalie Tori Rocke earned Big Sky Defensive Player of the Week honors, with a save percentage of .947 for the weekend that included a career-high nine saves against Southern Utah. NAU is led up front by junior striker Cee Cee Odorfer, who has the team high in both goals (three) and assists (four). Missing from the NAU line-up last weekend were two starters, both will be making a comeback this weekend, including sophomore playmaker Sam Monahan, looking to build on her two goals and three assists so far.

Head coach Andre Luciano is in his eighth season and posted a 7-7-5 last year. Returning this fall are 16 letterwinners and six starters.

UP leads the all-time series 1-0-0.

Scouting San Diego State

     The Aztecs begin this weekend at 2-2-1 after last weekend’s loss to Villanova (3-2), which snapped their two game winning streak, and tie o Loyola (Md.) (3-3) in the Villanova Classic. Junior forward Jessica Gordon, sophomore midfielder Cat Walker and junior defender Millie Allen were named to the all-tournament team. Walker and Gordon lead the team with seven points apiece.

Head coach Mike Friesen is in his second year at the helm of the Aztecs, leading the team to a 9-8-3 record last fall, the most wins by a first-year coach in the school’s women’s soccer history. 17 letterwinners and seven starters returned this fall.

UP leads the all-time series 7-0-0 and won the last meeting, 3-0, in Seattle, Wash. in 2005.