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PORTLAND PILOTS (3-2-0)
vs. OREGON STATE BEAVERS (5-1-0)
Date: Thursday, September 19, 2013
Location: Portland, Ore.
Kick-off: 6:00 p.m.
Pitch: Merlo Field (4,892)
Live Video: PilotsVideo.com
Live Stats: PortlandPilots.com
 
POR vs. OSU
Overall Series: 20-3-0
Here: 13-0-0
There: 7-3-0
Neutral: 0-0-0
Last: POR 2, @OSU 1 (Aug. 27, 2011)
 
THIS WEEK
• The Pilots play their lone game this week on Thursday night when they welcome in-state rival Oregon State to Merlo Field for a 6 p.m. game.
• UP leads the all-time series with the Beavs 20-3 and the Pilots are a perfect 13-0 against OSU all-time in Portland.
 
ABOUT THE PILOTS...
• The Pilots open the 2013 season by playing seven of eight non-conference games at home.
• The Pilots have won two straight after defeating Air Force (4-0) and Seattle (2-1) at home last weekend.
• Junior midfielder Michael Escobar was named the WCC's Player of the Week by College Sports Madness following his one-goal, three-assist performance last weekend.
• Eight different Pilots (Corbett, Escobar, Iwasaki, Liberator, Munger, Rhoads, Sanchez, Velasco) have combined to score Portland's 10 goals this season, while seven different Pilots (Caprio, Coffey, Corbett, Escobar, Rhoads, Sanchez, Velasco) have registered an assist.
• Junior Derek Boggs was named to the West Coast Conference Preseason All-Conference Team, while the Pilots were picked sixth in a tight vote by the league's head coaches.
• Five different teams received a first place vote and just 13 points separate first-place choice Santa Clara and the Pilots.
• Portland features a bevy of newcomers as 10 players total are in their first season with the Pilots.
• Portland has been to two College Cups (1988 & 1995) and has reached the NCAA Postseason 14 times.
• The Pilots are looking to return to the playoffs for the first time since 2009; redshirt-senior goalkeeper Justin Baarts is the lone remaining player from that team.
• Head coach and Director of Soccer Bill Irwin is in his 11th year at the helm of the UP men's soccer program and he is just four wins shy of career win No. 100; Irwin is in his 27th year overall on the Portland staff.
• Assistant coach Rob Baarts is back for his 11th year on the Portland bench, while assistant coach Brandon McNeil is in his sixth year on the staff.
 
A BRIEF LOOK BACK
• The Pilots shutout Air Force 4-0 at Merlo Field last Friday before defeating Seattle 2-1 on Sunday.
• Against the Falcons, freshman Eddie Sanchez had a goal and assist and redshirt-senior goalkeeper Jason Dodson made six saves as the Pilots registered their second shutout this season.
• On Sunday, the Pilots scored in the sixth minute, the Redhawks equalized in the 17th minute and Portland notched the game-winner in the 38th minute.
• Junior Michael Escobar and sophomore Hugo Rhoads accounted for Portland's two goals, with both coming in impressive fashion on first-time finishes.
• Escobar blasted his goal into the right corner of the net from 22 yards out, while Rhoads buried his goal from the top of the 18 off a corner from Escobar.
 
CELEBRATING THE '88 COLLEGE CUP
• Last weekend the Pilots celebrated the 25th Anniversary of the men's trip to the 1988 College Cup, which was the first Final Four visit in UP program history.
• That team, which was coached by Clive Charles and featured Kasey Keller, Rob Baarts and Garrett Smith, went through the regular season undefeated before succumbing to eventual national champion and College Cup host Indiana 1-0 in the semi's.
• Members from the '88 squad were on hand last Sunday for a half-time celebration during the men's game against Seattle.
 
SPREADING THE WEALTH
• The Pilots are spreading around the offense so far this season with eight different players accounting for Portland's 10 goals.
• Freshman Eddie Sanchez and senior Thomas Iwasaki have each scored two goals, while Michael Escobar, Steven Corbett, Jaime Velasco, Hugo Rhoads, Matt Liberator and Dustin Munger each have one.
• Additionally, seven different Pilots have registered at least one assist, with junior Michael Escobar leading the way with three.
• Sanchez, Iwasaki and Rhoads each have one of Portland's three game-winners.
 
#100
• Head coach and UP Director of Soccer Bill Irwin is quickly closing in on career win No. 100.
• Irwin, who is in his 11th year at the helm of the men's team, is 96-80-31 overall; he's in his 27th year overall on the Portland bench.
 
IT'S A FAMILY AFFAIR
• The Baarts trio is back for their final season on the same bench.
• Assistant coach Rob Baarts' son Tyler is in his senior year as a defender with the Pilots, while Rob's nephew and Tyler's cousin Justin is a redshirt-senior goalkeeper.
• New to the Portland roster this year are freshmen twin brothers Conor and Rory Johnston, who came to The Bluff from Sonoma, Calif.
• Conor is a defender, while Rory plays in the midfield.
 
PILOTS IN THE MLS
• Four Portland men's soccer alums are currently on active rosters in the MLS, including Steven Evans here with the Portland Timbers.
• Both Luis Robles, a goalkeeper, and Heath Pearce, a defender, play for the New York Red Bulls, while Collen Warner plays for the Montreal Impact.
• Logan Emory was recently released by Toronto FC.
• Additionally, former UP defender Steve Cherundolo recently played in his club record 300th game with Hannover 96 of Germany's Bundesliga, and he has 84 career caps with the U.S. Men's National Team.