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PORTLAND PILOTS (3-5-3)
vs. GONZAGA BULLDOGS (2-8-0)
Date: Sunday, October 12, 2014
Location: Portland, Ore.
Kickoff: 1:00 p.m.
Pitch: Merlo Field (4,982)
Live Video: PilotsVideo.com
Live Stats: PortlandPilots.com
 
POR vs. GU
Overall Series: 23-11-6
Here: 12-5-2
There: 10-6-4
Neutral: 1-0-0
Last: GU 2, @POR 1 (Oct. 30, 2013)
 
THIS WEEK
• The Pilots face West Coast Conference and northwest rival Gonzaga this weekend in a non-league game on Sunday at 1 p.m. at Merlo Field.
• This is Portland's final of three straight non-league games against conference opponents.
 
LAST WEEK
• Portland erupted for 10 goals in two games as the Pilots posted a 5-1 win at Saint Mary's on Friday before returning home to defeat Pacific 5-2 on Sunday.
• The 10 goals in two games are the most scored by the Pilots since 2001, when Portland totaled 12 goals in consecutive games.
• Against the Gaels, freshman Brandon Zambrano notched a hat trick and added an assist as the Pilots scored five unanswered goals after falling behind early; Zambrano scored twice in the first half and added another in the second, with the two first-half goals coming just 30 seconds apart.
• All five goals on Sunday came in the second half with the Pilots trailing 2-0; sophomore Eddie Sanchez and freshman Erik Edwardson both scored two goals.
• Zambrano was named the WCC's Player of the Week after the two wins.
 
ABOUT THE PILOTS...
• The Pilots have scored 10 goals during the past two games, which is the most during consecutive games since Portland totaled 12 goals in back-to-back wins in 2001.
• The five goals scored at Saint Mary's are also the most scored by the Pilots on the road since also scoring five during a win at Washington during the 2004 NCAA Playoffs.
• Freshman Brandon Zambrano was named the WCC's Player of the Week after registering a hat trick last Friday, while also adding two assists during the weekend.
• Eddie Sanchez has played in five straight games after missing the first half of the season due to an injury; he already has a team-best four goals.
• Sanchez was named the 2013 WCC Freshman of the Year, landed on Soccer America's All-Freshman First Team and he was named to the All-WCC First Team.
• Sanchez's four goals rank second in the conference, while the Pilots are tied for the league high with 16 goals total.
• Hugo Rhoads and the Pilots received national attention on Friday, Sept. 12 after Rhoads scored a thunderous goal against Duquesne; visit this link to see Rhoads featured on SportsCenter's Top 10 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HOx2lQFKHG0.
• Rhoads and Michael Escobar were both named to the Oregon State Hensor/Zaher Classic All-Tournament Team (Sept. 12-14).
• Rhoads was also named the Defensive MVP at the 2014 Nike Portland Invitational, which took place at Merlo Field the weekend of Aug. 29-31; Rhoads and the Pilots blanked UCF at the Invite before playing Evansville to a 1-1 draw.
• A program record crowd of 4,194, which included a then-record 2,205 students, watched the Pilots defeat Linfield 4-0 behind a pair of goals from freshman Erik Edwardson.
• The Pilots were receiving votes in NSCAA Poll earlier this season.
• Eddie Sanchez was named to the WCC Preseason All-Conference Team, while the Pilots were picked to finish third in a vote by the league's head coaches.
• Portland has been to two College Cups (1988 & 1995) and has reached the NCAA Postseason 14 times.
• Head coach Bill Irwin notched career win No. 100 on Oct. 11 last season when the Pilots defeated San Diego 2-1 at Merlo Field; Irwin is in his 12th year at the helm of the UP men's soccer program and his 28th year overall on the Portland staff.
• Assistant coach Rob Baarts is in his 11th year on the Portland bench, while assistant coach Brandon McNeil is in his seventh year on the staff; both Baarts (1987-90) and McNeil (1998-2001) played at UP.