Complete Release (pdf) I Live Stats: at Irvine  at Northridge

#25 PORTLAND PILOTS (4-4-1) at #21 UC IRVINE ANTEATERS (5-2-1)
Date: Thursday, Sept. 22, 2011

POR vs. UCI
Overall Series: 4-0-0
Here: 2-0-0
There: 0-0-0
Neutral: 2-0-0
Last: UP 2, UCI 0 - Sept. 21, 2002 (@Seattle, Wash.) 

#25 PORTLAND PILOTS (4-4-1) at CAL STATE NORTHRIDGE MATADORS (1-5-1)
Date: Sunday, Sept. 25, 2011
Kick-off: 2:00 p.m.
Location: Northridge, Calif.
Stadium: Matador Soccer Field (1,550)
Live Video/Audio: None
Live Stats: GoMatadors.com 

POR vs. CSN
Overall Series: 1-0-0
Here: 0-0-0
There: 1-0-0
Neutral: 0-0-0
Last: UP 2, @CSN 1 - Aug. 22, 2010 

THIS WEEK
• The No. 25 Pilots play their final two non-conference games of the season this week as they head to Southern California to face the UC Irvine Anteaters and the Cal State Northridge Matadors.
• Thursday’s game against the Anteaters in Irvine, Calif., is set for 7 p.m. at Anteater Stadium; Sunday’s game in Northridge will begin at 2 p.m. at Matador Soccer Field. 

LAST WEEK
• The Pilots split their two games at Merlo Field last week, dropping a 2-0 decision to the No. 1 Stanford Cardinal on Thursday night before defeating USC 2-1 on Sunday.
• Micaela Capelle assisted on both UP goals against the Trojans, while Amanda Frisbie scored the game-winner in the 49th minute; Ellen Parker gave the Pilots an early 1-0 lead in the third minute before USC equalized in the 49th. 

ABOUT THE PILOTS
• Earlier this season, Portland lost three straight games for the first time since 1999.
• The Pilots went 19-1-2 last season and won their fourth straight West Coast Conference title with a 6-0-1 league record.
• The Pilots are 27-0-1 in WCC games during their current four-year run as league champs; UP has also claimed six of the past seven conference crowns.
• Portland was chosen to repeat as league champions, receiving six first place votes and 61 points overall in a vote of the WCC head coaches.
• Reigning WCC Coach of the Year and UP head coach Garrett Smith has been named the league’s top coach five times. 

PARTY!
• UP will be hosting a pregame gathering for alumni, family, and friends before the game at Cal State Northridge on Sunday.
• The free, family-friendly event will begin at 12 p.m. at Chili’s Restaurant at 9200 Reseda Blvd., Northridge, Calif., 91324, and will include complimentary snacks and soft drinks.
• Game tickets are available at the gate or may be pre-purchased directly from the Cal State Northridge Ticket Office at 818-677-2488. 

NATIONAL EXPOSURE
• The Pilots are set to appear on national television three times this year.
• Fox Soccer Channel aired Portland’s game at home against Stanford on Sept. 15; FSC will also broadcast Portland’s WCC opener on the road at BYU on Oct. 6.
• ESPNU will broadcast UP’s tilt with long-time conference rival Santa Clara at Merlo Field on Oct. 21. 

HARPER’S PLAYGROUND
• The Pilots will be auctioning off special warm-up jerseys this season with all proceeds going to Harper’s Playground, which is a fund-raising effort to bring an inclusive playground to Arbor Lodge Park.
• Each jersey features a player’s number, and the team will wear them before every home game all season long.
• Fans can make bids on the jerseys at the fan information booth near the main entrance to Merlo Field during home games, and the winners will be announced following the Gonzaga game, on Saturday, Nov. 5.
• Bids can also be made by emailing UP Director of Soccer Operations Whitney Stipetich at stipetic@up.edu.
• Harper is a local six-year-old girl who was born with Emanuel Syndrome; Harper’s Playground hopes to build community by providing the inclusive playground where children and adults of all abilities can play together. 

THE HEADLINER
• Senior Danielle Foxhoven, who ranks fourth all-time at UP with 54 career goals, has scored five of Portland’s eight goals this season.
• In career goals, Foxhoven sits behind only Christine Sinclair (110), Tiffeny Milbrett (103) and Shannon MacMillan (87).
• Foxhoven also ranks fourth in career shots on goal per game (1.67), is fifth in goals per game (0.72) and in total points (131), is seventh in points per game (1.75) and is eighth in game-winners (14).
• Foxhoven received several preseason honors; she’s been named to the MAC Herman Trophy watch list, she’s a candidate for the Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award, is a Soccer American Preseason All-American and landed on the All-WCC Preseason Team. 

STEP UP TO THE MIC
• Sophomore forward Micaela Capelle had quite the debut as a freshman, tying for the team high in both goals (8) and assists (5) last fall.
• Capelle was named to the 2010 All-WCC Freshman Team, earned All-WCC Honorable Mention and landed on the Top Drawer Soccer All-Rookie First Team.
• Capelle has a team-high four assists this season, which ranks second in the WCC; she assisted on both Portland goals during the 2-1 win over USC on Sunday. 

THE THREE-HEADED KEEPER
• UP has three decorated goalkeepers on the roster, including last year’s starters senior Hailee DeYoung and sophomore Erin Dees.
• In 13 games last season, Dees posted six shutouts and a goals against average of 0.43, which is tied for eighth best all-time on Portland’s single season charts.
• DeYoung had four shutouts and a GAA of 0.64 in 11 appearances; she is eighth all-time with a career GAA of 0.60, is ninth with 65 saves and is 10th all-time with 10 shutouts.
• Joining the mix this year is redshirt-freshman Nichole Downing, who has started twice this fall. 

NOT AN EASY ROAD
• The 25th ranked Pilots have one of the most challenging schedules in the country as they’re scheduled to play a whopping 13 teams that are currently ranked in the four major polls, or receiving votes.
• Portland has already played top-ranked Stanford and then-No. 4 Florida State.
• Of those 13 games against ranked or receiving votes opponents, eight will take place at Merlo Field. 

HOME SWEET MERLO
• The Pilots once again led the nation in attendance in 2010, making it the sixth straight year to do so.
• Portland averaged 3,549 fans per game last fall for a total of 46,143; that’s almost 20,000 more fans than the next closest school (Texas A&M).
• UP was the first NCAA DI soccer team to ever crack the 40,000-fan plateau during a season; it happened during the historic 2005 run when UP totaled 40,841 fans.
• The Pilots also hold the all-time single season mark of 47,082, which occurred in 2008. 

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.
• Eight games are scheduled to be broadcast live, including the Sept. 15 tilt against No. 1 Stanford and the Oct. 6 road contest at BYU. 

EVEN MORE EXPOSURE
• And don’t forget to visit the brand new facebook page for UP women’s soccer, which can be found at facebook.com/UPWomensSoccer.
• Taking on blogging duties this season for the Pilots is sophomore goalkeeper Erin Dees; be sure to visit PortlandPilots.com/DeesBlog all season long to get an in-depth look at the UP soccer program.