Complete Release (pdf) I Tickets: vs. USD vs. LMU I GameCentral
PORTLAND PILOTS (5-4-1, 0-2-0 WCC)
vs. SAN DIEGO TOREROS (4-4-3, 1-0-1 WCC)
Date: Friday, October 7, 2011
Kick-off: 7:00 p.m.
Location: Portland, Ore.
Field: Merlo Field (4,892)
TV: Fox Soccer Channel
Live Stats: PortlandPilots.com
POR vs. USD
Overall Series: 14-15-5
Here: 8-6-2
There: 5-8-2
Neutral: 1-1-1
2010: UP 1, @USD 0 (10/8); @UP 0, USD 0 - 2ot (11/7)
PORTLAND PILOTS (5-4-1, 0-2-0 WCC)
vs. LOYOLA MARYMOUNT LIONS (2-8-0, 0-2-0 WCC)
Date: Sunday, October 9, 2011
Kick-off: 1:00 p.m.
Location: Portland, Ore.
Field: Merlo Field (4,892)
Radio: 800 AM
Live Video/Audio/Stats: PortlandPilots.com
POR vs. LMU
Overall Series: 19-9-2
Here: 10-3-2
There: -6-0
Neutral: 0-0-0
2010: @LMU 3, UP 2 (10/10); LMU 3, @UP 1 (11/5)
THIS WEEK
• The Pilots return home this week for a pair of West Coast Conference games against San Diego and Loyola Marymount at Merlo Field.
• On Friday night, Fox Soccer Channel will broadcast the UP-San Diego match live nationally, with kick-off slated for 7 p.m. at Merlo Field.
• Sunday’s game against LMU is set for 1 p.m.
LAST WEEK
• The Pilots suffered two close set-backs to open WCC play last weekend in the Bay Area.
• On Friday night in Santa Clara, Calif., the Santa Clara Broncos scored on a free kick in the 33rd minute for a 1-nil win over the Pilots.
• Then on Sunday in San Francisco, the San Francisco Dons converted a penalty kick in the 104th minute for a 2-1 win; USF took a 1-0 lead with a goal in the 19th minute, and UP’s Ryan Kawulok equalized with his first goal of the year in the 26th.
ABOUT THE PILOTS
• Steven Evans was named the National Player of the Week by both the NSCAA and Soccer News Net (Sept. 26) after a three-goal, two-assist performance during UP’s three-match winning streak; he also landed on the College Soccer News Team of the Week.
• Both Evans and junior Ricardo Carrillo missed the first five games of the season due to injury, and both made their 2011 debut at Washington on Sept. 21.
• The Pilots were picked to finish fourth in the WCC this season.
• Ryan Kawulok and Evans were both voted to the Preseason All-WCC Team.
• Director of Soccer and men’s head coach Bill Irwin is in his ninth year at the helm of the soccer program and in his 25th year overall on the UP staff.
• The Pilots went 9-4-6 last season and finished third in the WCC with a 6-3-3 league mark.
• Key losses from last season include Jarad vanSchaik, who is currently playing for the Puerto Rico Islanders of the NASL; vanSchaik had eight goals and three assists as a senior last year; also gone is Ryan Luke, Portland’s second top scorer last year with six goals, and four-year starting goalkeeper Austin Guerrero.
• Portland has reached two College Cups (1988, 1995), while making 14 overall postseason appearances, most recently in 2009.
QUITE THE DEBUT
• After missing the first five games of the season due to injury, sophomore Steven Evans has returned and already leads the Pilots in goals (3) and points (8), while also adding two assists in five games.
• After his three-goal, two-assist performance during UP’s recent three-match winning streak, Evans was named the National Player of the Week by both the NSCAA and Soccer News Net, he landed on the College Soccer News Team of the Week and he garnered WCC Player of the Week honors.
• The Portland native was also named the offensive MVP of the Husky Fever Classic as the Pilots defeated UAB and HBU; Evans scored twice and added two assists.
• Last season, Evans became the first Pilot to be named the WCC’s Freshman of the Year since 2004; he had four goals and four assists as a freshman.
THE IRON HORSE
• Senior defender Ryan Kawulok has not only appeared in every game during his career on The Bluff, but he’s also been a starter in all 72 games.
• He’s earned all-conference recognition all three years, including landing on the All-WCC First Team as a junior, and he was voted Preseason All-WCC this fall.
• Kawulok has nine career goals and he helped the Pilots post six shutouts last season; he has one goal and one assist this fall.
• He played with the Portland Timbers U-23 team during the past two summers, landing on the Premier Development League’s 2011 All-Western Conference Team.
THE SCORING MACHINE
• After scoring just once during his first two years on The Bluff, junior defender Keith Grubisich has come alive this fall with two goals.
• His first goal came during a 1-1 tie with Florida Gulf Coast on Sept. 2, while his second came in the 86th minute against Northwestern on Sept. 9, tying the score at 1-1; UP would go onto defeat the Wildcats 2-1.
WELCOME TO THE BLUFF
• Freshman Derek Boggs has already made himself at home at UP by starting all 10 games this season.
• The midfielder leads the team and is tied for the conference high with four assists; he scored his first collegiate goal during a 3-2 win over the 20th-ranked UAB Blazers on Sept. 23.
• During UP’s recent three-game winning streak, he had a goal and two assists.
IN GOOD HANDS
• Four-year starting goalkeeper Austin Guerrero may be gone, but redshirt-sophomore Justin Baarts has proven more than ready to step in to fill the void.
• As a freshman in 2009, Baarts was called on during overtime of an NCAA First Round game at New Mexico on Nov. 19; he helped the Pilots win that game against the Lobos before starting and playing every minute during a 2-1 win at NC State in the NCAA Second Round.
• Justin is one of three Baarts in the UP program, as cousin Tyler is a sophomore defender and uncle Rob is an assistant coach.
HOME SWEET MERLO
• The Pilots have ranked in the top 15 in home attendance nationally in 13 of the past 16 years, including the nation’s top attendance in 1996.
• Last season, Portland was 17th in the country with total attendance of 13,849 and a per game average of 1,539.
• The Pilots have posted an all-time record of 124-45-18 (.711) at the friendly confines.
LIVE ON THE AM DIAL
• KPDQ 800 AM will once again be the Pilots’ home on the radio as the True Talk Station and UP enter another year as broadcast partners.
• KPDQ will broadcast Portland’s home game against San Diego on Oct. 7 and the Pilots’ home match against Santa Clara on Nov. 13.
NATIONAL EXPOSURE
• Portland will also be featured on national television this season as the home tilt against San Diego on Oct. 7 will be broadcast live on Fox Soccer Channel.
THEY DON’T CALL IT ‘GAMECENTRAL’ FOR NOTHING
• UP is entering its second year of providing fans with ‘GameCentral’, which is a free portal via PortlandPilots.com that offers live video, live audio and live stats all on the same page.
• ‘GameCentral’ is available for every home game that is not scheduled for a national television broadcast.
THE GATEWOOD BLOG
• Taking on blogging duties this season for the men’s soccer team is redshirt-sophomore Alex Gatewood; visit portlandpilots.com/gatewood blog and follow Alex and the Pilots all season long.
