Complete Release (pdf)
PORTLAND PILOTS (8-6-2, 3-4-1 WCC)
at LOYOLA MARYMOUNT LIONS (6-9-2, 4-3-1 WCC)
Date: Friday, November 4, 2011
Kick-off: 3:00 p.m.
Location: Los Angeles, Calif.
Field: Sullivan Field (2,000)
Live Video: None
Audio/Stats: LMULions.com
POR vs. LMU
Overall Series: 19-10-2
Here: 10-4-2
There: 9-6-0
Neutral: 0-0-0
Last: LMU 3, @POR 2 (Oct. 9, 2011)
PORTLAND PILOTS (8-6-2, 3-4-1 WCC)
at SAN DIEGO TOREROS (7-7-1, 4-3-1 WCC)
Date: Sunday, November 6, 2011
Kick-off: 2:00 p.m.
Location: San Diego, Calif.
Field: Torero Stadium (5,792)
Live Video/Audio/Stats: USDToreros.com (free)
POR vs. USD
Overall Series: 14-15-5
Here: 8-6-2
There: 5-8-2
Neutral: 1-1-1
Last: USD 1, @POR 0 (Oct. 7, 2011)
THIS WEEK
• The Pilots will look to continue their climb up the West Coast Conference standings this week as they travel south for two league games against the Loyola Marymount Lions and San Diego Toreros in Southern California.
• The Lions will host the Pilots for a 3 p.m. game on Friday at Sullivan Field in Los Angeles, while Portland will be in San Diego on Sunday for a 2 p.m. match against USD at Torero Stadium.
LAST WEEK
• The Pilots posted consecutive shutout wins over Gonzaga and first-place Saint Mary’s at Merlo Field last week.
• On Wednesday night, senior Michael Nielsen scored once in the first half and again after the break as the Pilots blanked the Bulldogs 2-0.
• Nielsen added two more goals on Friday night as the Pilots rolled to a 4-0 win over the Gaels; junior Colin Anderson tallied two assists against SMC, while fellow juniors Ricardo Carrillo and Ben Hemphill also found the back of the net.
• Nielsen earned WCC Player of the Week honors for the effort.
ABOUT THE PILOTS
• Nielsen earned the second league player of the week honor for the Pilots this season after Steven Evans nabbed the award on Sept. 26.
• Evans was also 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.
• Portland has reached two College Cups (1988, 1995), while making 14 overall postseason appearances, most recently in 2009.
INSTANT OFFENSE
• After scoring just two goals all season, junior midfielder Michael Nielsen exploded for four goals during Portland’s two wins last week.
• Nielsen leads the WCC with four goals during league games, while also leading the Pilots with six goals on the season.
• His 12 points are tied for the team-high.
QUITE THE DEBUT
• Sophomore Steven Evans has made the most of his time since returning from an injury that forced him to miss the first five games of the season.
• He is tied for the team high in both points (12) and assists (2) and he’s second on the squad with four goals.
• In his first week back from injury, Evans notched three goals and two-assists and was named the National Player of the Week by both the NSCAA and Soccer News Net; he also 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 (Sept. 23-25) 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.
SPREADING THE WEALTH
• 10 different players have scored a goal for the Pilots this year, with eight of those players scoring at least two goals; additionally, six different players have accounted for UP’s eight game-winners.
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 78 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 10 career goals and he helped the Pilots post six shutouts last season; he has two goals, a game-winner 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.
WELCOME TO THE BLUFF
• Freshman Derek Boggs has already made himself at home at UP by starting all 16 games this season.
• The midfielder, who is tied for the team high with four assists, scored his first collegiate goal during a 3-2 win over the 20th-ranked UAB Blazers on Sept. 23.
• He added his second career goal during the first half against LMU on Oct. 9.
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 124-47-18 (.704) at the friendly confines.
NATIONAL EXPOSURE
• Fox Soccer Channel was in town on Oct. 7 to broadcast UP’s game with San Diego live nationally; USD scored in the 53rd minute before holding on for the win.
THEY DON’T CALL IT ‘GAMECENTRAL’ FOR NOTHING
• UP is in 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.
