Thursday • Nov. 12 • 7:00 p.m. • Portland, Ore. (Merlo Field - 4,892)
Live Video: PilotsVideo.com
Live Audio/Stats: PortlandPilots.com
Series: POR leads 17-5-0
Last Meeting: SU 1, POR 0 - Oct. 17, 2008 @ Portland, Ore.
Pilots (8-5-5, 3-4-4) vs San Francisco (6-9-2, 3-6-1)
Sunday • Nov. 15 • 3:00 p.m. • Portland, Ore. (Merlo Field - 4,892)
Live Video: PilotsVideo.com
Live Audio/Stats: PortlandPilots.com
Series: USF leads 19-13-3
Last Meeting: USF 1, POR 0 - Oct. 16, 2009 @ San Francisco, Calif.
This Week in Pilots Soccer...
The Portland Pilots (8-5-5, 3-4-4 West Coast Conference) conclude the 2009 regular season with a pair of home games this week at Merlo Field at the Clive Charles Soccer Complex. On Thursday, the Pilots step out of the WCC briefly for a non-conference tilt against the Seattle Redhawks (4-11-1, 3-4-0 Mountain Pacific Sports Federation) at 7:00 p.m. The Pilots then host conference foe San Francisco (6-9-2, 3-6-1 WCC) on Sunday in the regular season finale, which is set to begin at 3:00 p.m.
Portland will honor its four seniors (Drew Chrostek, Logan Emory, Greg Rouse and Collen Warner) prior to Sunday’s game against USF.
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A Brief Look Back
The Pilots posted a tie and picked up a loss on the road in California last weekend. On Friday, Portland and No. 16 San Diego battled to a scoreless draw at Torero Stadium in San Diego. UP put in perhaps its best defensive effort of the season, fending off 21 USD shots. The Pilots totaled six shots, with their best look coming courtesy Jarad vanSchaik in the 35th minute. On a give-and-go play with Ryan Luke, vanSchaik was able to fire a right-footed shot towards the left post. vanSchaik had USD keeper Kelin Briones beat, but his shot was wide by a couple of inches. UP junior keeper Austin Guerrero was huge between the pipes, coming up with seven saves.
On Sunday at Sullivan Field in Los Angeles, LMU scored in the 24th minute before holding on for the 1-0 win. The Lions outshot Portland 15-10, while the Pilots held a 6-2 advantage in corner kicks. Guerrero finished with three saves.
Scouting Seattle
The Redhawks, who play in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation, are coming off a 3-2 win over Cal State Bakersfield at home on Sunday. With the game tied at 2-2, junior midfielder Sean Morris scored the game-winner with 14 minutes remaining.
Morris is tied for the team-high with three goals and two assists this season. Seattle has been outscored 29-10 and is allowing 1.76 goals per game. The Redhawks have used three different goalkeepers, with junior Ivan Dizdar posting a team-best GAA of 1.49.
Brad Agoos is in his fourth season as head coach at Seattle. The Redhawks played an independent schedule last year, going 11-3-1. 11 letterwinners and six starters returned.
Pilots/Redhawks Series
The Pilots own a 17-5-0 all-time record against Seattle, although the Redhawks won the most recent meeting 1-0 last season at Merlo Field. Four of SU’s wins in the series have come in Portland.
Scouting San Francisco
San Francisco lost 1-0 at home to Santa Clara last Friday before tying Saint Mary’s 1-1 on Sunday.
Preseason all-conference selection Conor Chinn, a senior forward, leads the Dons and the WCC with nine goals and 21 points. Junior forward Bryan Burke is second in the conference with seven assists. Freshman keeper Brendan Roslund has spent the majority of the minutes in goal this season, posting three shutouts and a 1.24 GAA.
Eric Visser is in his ninth season as head coach at San Francisco. The Dons reached the first round of the NCAA Tournament last season after finishing first in the WCC with a 7-4-1 league mark. 15 letterwinners and eight starters returned this fall.
Pilots/Dons Series
The Dons lead the all-time series with the Pilots 19-13-2. Earlier this season, USF scored in the 82nd minute to prevail 1-0 over UP in San Francisco. Portland is 7-5 all-time against the Dons in matches played in Portland.
Senior Sunday
Sunday’s game against San Francisco will mark the final regular season home appearance at Merlo Field for Portland’s four seniors. Midfielder Drew Chrostek, defender Logan Emory, defender Greg Rouse and midfielder Collen Warner will be honored with a ceremony prior to the 3:00 p.m. kick-off.
A Weekly Habit
After his four-goal performance in two games against Gonzaga, junior forward Ryan Luke became the third Pilot this season to be named the WCC Player of the Week (Oct. 26). Luke scored Portland’s two goals during its 2-2 tie with Gonzaga on Wednesday, Oct. 21 in Spokane before scoring twice more in the 5-1 win over the Bulldogs at Merlo Field on Sunday, Oct. 25. It’s the first conference player of the week honor for Luke, who followed junior goalkeeper Austin Guerrero (Sept. 28) and senior Collen Warner (Oct. 12) to earn the weekly honor this fall.
The RPI
The Pilots, who were ranked No. 10 in the initial RPI rankings released on Oct. 13, currently sit at No. 43 in the most recent ratings, released on Tuesday. The RPI, or Ratings Percentage Index, is the most important of the criteria used to determine the at-large bids for the 48-team field for the NCAA Division I Men’s Tournament. The RPI is a mathematical formula designed to objectively compare results and strength of schedule.
San Diego is the highest rated team from the West Coast Conference, coming in at No. 9. Loyola Marymount is ranked 15th and Saint Mary’s is No. 44, giving the WCC four teams in the top 48.
Pick Your Poison
Portland has spread the wealth on offense with eight different players scoring UP’s 25 goals this season. Senior Collen Warner and junior Ryan Luke lead the way with a team-high five goals each. Junior Jarad vanSchaik isn’t far behind with four goals, while sophomore defender Ryan Kawulok has three goals on just 10 shots.
Sophomore Michael Nielsen picked up his third goal of the season during the 1-1 tie with Santa Clara on Nov. 1.
The Show Stopper
All-conference goalkeeper junior Austin Guerrero has been stellar between the pipes this season with four shutouts, a goals against average of 0.94 and 63 saves, which rank second in the WCC. After helping Portland win the 2009 Husky Fever Classic, Guerrero was named the WCC Player of the Week (Sept. 28) and he landed on Soccer America’s Team of the Week. He was also named the defensive MVP of the Smith Barney Classic (Sept. 11-13) to help the Pilots win the tourney title.
Guerrero currently ranks No. 6 all-time in UP program history with 15 career shutouts and 239 career saves. The Chula Vista, Calif., native was voted to the WCC’s 2009 Preseason All-Conference Team.
Man in the Middle... And Sometimes Up Top
Midfielder/forward Collen Warner has capped an already illustrious collegiate career with a solid senior season. Warner, who was named WCC Player of the Week on Oct. 12, leads the Pilots in goals (5), assists (5), points (15), shots (48) and shots on-goal (19). He has also converted all three of his penalty shots and has two game-winners. The Denver, Colo., native was voted to the WCC’s 2009 Preseason All-Conference Team.
The Not-So-Newcomers
Portland’s nine freshmen have looked more like veterans this fall, helping the Pilots notch 25 goals and 23 assists, while allowing just 18 goals. Freshman forward Ricardo Carrillo has been right at home up front for the Pilots with a goal and four assists, which are tied for the second most on the squad.
Forward/midfielder Marc Tonkel has stepped up his play and now has four assists on the season. Defender Keith Grubisich has taken over at the right back position, while also tallying a goal and an assist. Colin Barich, a midfielder/forward, has two goals this fall.
Red, White and... Purple
This year has been busy for UP alums as several former Pilots have represented their country on the U.S. National Team. Conor Casey, Steve Cherundolo, Heath Pearce and Luis Robles all made appearances this year, with Robles earning his first cap during the Gold Cup. Casey, Pearce and Robles were all on the roster when the U.S. made its historic run to the Confederations Cup final in South Africa in June. Cherundolo returned from a leg injury to play for the national team in the Gold Cup and a World Cup qualifier against Mexico.
On Oct. 10, Casey scored his first two international goals as the U.S. defeated Honduras 3-2 to earn its sixth straight berth to the World Cup.
