Friday • Oct. 2 • 7:00 p.m. • Santa Clara, Calif. (Buck Shaw Stadium - 6,800)
Live Stats: SantaClaraBroncos.com
Series: SCU leads 17-11-6
Last Season: Split 1-1, @POR 4, SCU 1 • @SCU 3, POR 2 (ot)
No. 18 Pilots (5-1-1) at Saint Mary’s (4-1-2)
Sunday • Oct. 4 • 2:00 p.m. • Moraga, Calif. (Saint Mary’s Stadium - 5,500)
Live Stats: SMCGaels.com
Series: POR leads 21-5-3
Last Season: Split 1-1, @POR 3, SMC 1 • @SMC 3, POR 2 (2ot)
This Week in Pilots Soccer...
The Portland Pilots (5-1-1, 0-0-0 WCC) will look to win their fifth straight match and extend their six-game unbeaten streak as they open play in the West Coast Conference with a pair of games in Northern California this weekend. On Friday, the Pilots head to Santa Clara, Calif., to face the Santa Clara Broncos (2-4-2, 0-0-0 WCC) at 7:00 p.m. at Buck Shaw Stadium. Then on Sunday, the Saint Mary’s Gaels (4-1-2, 0-0-0 WCC) will host the Pilots for a 2:00 p.m. match at Saint Mary’s Stadium in Moraga, Calif.
Game Day Coverage
All non-nationally televised home soccer matches will be video streamed live at www.PilotsVideo.com. A season pass is available for $50, while single-game matches are $8. Free audio streams and live stats will continue to be available at www.PortlandPilots.com. Both Santa Clara and Saint Mary’s will provide free livestats for this weekend’s games. Links will be provided on PortlandPilots.com.
Stay Connected
Fans can now follow the Portland Pilots like never before. Just visit Twitter (@PortlandPilots), facebook (facebook.com/PortlandPilots) and YouTube (youtube.com/UPPurplePride) for access to everything Pilots.
A Brief Look Back
Portland improved its record at Husky Soccer Field to a perfect 3-0 this fall by winning the Husky Fever Classic on the University of Washington campus last weekend. On Friday, Portland looked dominant during a 2-0 win over the Cal Poly Mustangs. Sophomore Ryan Kawulok and freshman Colin Barich tallied Portland’s goals, coming in the 71st and 74th minutes, respectively. It’s the second shutout this season for UP and junior goalkeeper Austin Guerrero.
On Sunday, Portland needed two second-half goals to overcome the No. 17 Creighton Bluejays 2-1 and secure the tournament title. Senior Collen Warner, who was named the tournament’s offensive MVP, scored the equalizer in the 47th minute. Sophomore Michael Nielsen then came through with the game-winner in the 84th minute.
Scouting Santa Clara
The Pilots will be the fifth SCU opponent in nine matches who has been ranked nationally by the NSCAA this season. The Broncos tied both of their games last weekend, 1-1 against Brown at home and 0-0 at San Jose State.
Sophomore Eric Masch has scored a team-high three goals this season, while sophomore Mykell Bates and freshman Erik Hurtado have each added one. SCU’s opponents are outscoring the Broncos this fall 13-8. Freshman keeper Larry Jackson has spent every minute in goal and has a 1.28 GAA.
Cameron Rast is in his eighth season as head coach of Santa Clara. 19 letterwinners and eight starters returned from a team that was 4-9-7 overall and 2-5-5 in the WCC (7th) one year ago.
Pilots/Broncos Series
Santa Clara holds a 17-11-6 advantage in the all-time series with Portland. The two teams split their two meetings last season. UP is 3-10-3 all-time against the Broncos in Santa Clara.
Scouting Saint Mary’s
The Gaels, who are receiving votes in this week’s Soccer Times national rankings, are coming off a 2-1 win at home last weekend against UC Davis.
Saint Mary’s has outscored its opponents this season by a 10-7 margin. Junior Erik Rivas and sophomore Justin Grider have both scored a team-high three goals, while four different players have each added a goal. Sophomore goalkeeper Doug Herrick has posted one shutout and boats a GAA of 0.91.
Head coach Adam Cooper is in his fourth season at the helm of the SMC program. The Gaels went 6-9-4 last season and finished fourth in the WCC with a 5-4-3 league mark. 20 letterwinners and 10 starters returned.
Pilots/Gaels Series
Portland claims a 21-5-3 advantage all-time against the Gaels. Last season’s two matches were split, with each team winning at home. UP is 7-3-3 all-time in Moraga.
Starting Strong
Portland’s 5-1-1 beginning to the season is the program’s best start after seven games since the 2000 squad opened with an identical mark. UP’s best start ever came in 1988 when the Pilots won their first 21 games.
Nationally Recognized
After its impressive weekend in Seattle last weekend, the Pilots surged back into the national rankings. Soccer America has Portland rated the highest at No. 18. The Pilots are 21st in the NSCAA poll, 23rd in the Soccer Times rankings and No. 30 in the College Soccer News top 30. It’s the first time Portland has been ranked since November of 2007.
WCC Player of the Week
Portland junior goalkeeper Austin Guerrero was named the West Coast Conference Men’s Soccer Player of the Week after helping the Pilots win the 2009 Husky Fever Classic last weekend in Seattle, Wash. Guerrero made ten saves and allowed just one goal during the weekend as the Pilots defeated Cal Poly 2-0 on Friday and No. 17 Creighton 2-1 on Sunday.
The 2-0 blanking of Cal Poly is Guerrero’s second shutout this season and the 13th of his career, which ranks fifth all-time in UP program history. The Chula Vista, Calif., native then made a season-high nine stops against the Bluejays on Sunday, including two in the closing minute to preserve the upset. Guerrero lowered his goals against average to 0.97 on the season.
At Home on the Road
With seven of their first nine games away from the friendly confines of Merlo Field, the Pilots are becoming quite comfortable on the road. So far, Portland is 1-0-1 in away games and 3-0-0 in matches played at neutral locations. Portland has also won two tournaments this fall, claiming the Smith Barney Classic (Sept. 11-13) in Burlington, Vt., and the Husky Fever Classic in Seattle last weekend.
In addition, UP made what’s believed to be the second longest road trip in program history when it traveled 2,382 miles to Burlington, Vt. The visit back east marked Portland’s longest road trip since the Pilots traveled to Piscataway, N.J., for a tournament hosted by Rutgers in 1999.
Pick Your Poison
So far this season, Portland has spread the wealth on offense with seven different players scoring UP’s 11 goals. Senior Collen Warner, sophomores Ryan Kawulok and Michael Nielsen and freshman Colin Barich have each scored two goals, while junior Ryan Luke and freshmen Ricardo Carrillo and Keith Grubisich have found the back of the net once.
The Not-So-Newcomers
So far this season, Portland’s nine freshmen have looked like veterans as the Pilots have won five and tied one of their first seven games. Freshman forward Ricardo Carrillo has been right at home up front for the Pilots with a goal and an assist this season. His goal came with the Pilots trailing 1-0 in game against Vermont in Burlington, Vt., on Sept. 11. UP would tie the Catamounts 1-1 on its way to the tourney title.
That same weekend, Colin Barich nailed the game-winner during Portland’s 1-nil win over New Hampshire. Barich tallied his second career goal last weekend during Portland’s 2-0 win over Cal Poly. Keith Grubisich found the back of the net for the first time on Sept. 17 as UP picked up a big 2-1 road win at Washington. He also picked up his first career assist during the 2-1 win over Creighton on Sunday, as did Marc Tonkel.
The Show Stopper
All-conference goalkeeper junior Austin Guerrero has been stellar between the pipes this season. He already has two shutouts, has lowered his GAA to 0.97 and ranks second in the West Coast Conference with 30 saves. He was named the defensive MVP of the Smith Barney Classic (Sept. 11-13) to help the Pilots win the tourney title and is the reigning WCC Player of the Week. Guerrero currently ranks No. 6 all-time in UP program history with 206 career saves, while his 13 career shutouts are tied for sixth all-time.
Guerrero, who posted three shutouts and led the league in saves for the second consecutive season with 91 stops last year, was named All-WCC Honorable Mention in 2008. The Chula Vista, Calif., native was also voted to the WCC’s 2009 Preseason All-Conference Team.
Man in the Middle
Senior Collen Warner owned the midfield last season for the Pilots and he’s doing the same this fall. Warner led the league with eight assists in 2008 and is Portland’s top returning scorer after notching five goals during his junior campaign. The native of Denver, Colo., landed on the All-WCC First Team for the third consecutive season in 2008 and he was voted to the league’s preseason all-conference team this year.
Warner is tied for the team-high this season with six points, courtesy two goals and two assists. He now has 13 career goals and 15 assists.
WCC Coaches Preseason Poll / All-Conference Teams
Portland midfielder Collen Warner and goalkeeper Austin Guerrero were voted to the WCC’s Preseason All-Conference team, while the San Francisco Dons garnered the maximum six first-place votes to earn the top spot in the 2009 West Coast Conference preseason coaches poll, as voted on by the league’s head coaches. The Pilots were picked to finish sixth.
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.
