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PORTLAND, Ore. --- Portland sophomore Geoffrey Dunn scored his first career goal and freshman goalkeeper Paul Christensen recorded the shutout in his first collegiate start as the Pilots opened the 2014 season by blanking the University of Central Florida Knights 1-0 on Friday night at Merlo Field. Christensen made six saves, while Dunn's game-winner came in the 37th minute on the opening night of the Nike Portland Invitational.
 
After weathering UCF's (0-1) initial offensive surge to open the game, the Pilots (1-0) responded by creating several opportunities during the first 45 minutes. In the 24th minute, Hugo Rhoads found Steven Corbett near post with a cross, but Corbett's shot was deflected wide. On the ensuing corner, freshman Brandon Zambrano elevated for a header in the center of the box, but his shot towards the far post was just off target.
 
And then about10 minutes later, Dunn found the back of the net with a header from eight yards out. On a corner sent in by freshman Erik Edwardson, Michael Escobar was able to head the ball into the air. That's when Dunn placed it perfectly inside the top left corner of the frame to hand the Pilots a 1-0 lead they wouldn't relinquish.
 
But it wasn't always easy as the Knights applied heavy pressure in the attacking third of the field in the second half. Christensen though was up for the challenge as he denied repeated UCF shots. He knocked a strike from Hadji Barry over the crossbar in the 63rd minute, and in the 65th minute Christensen corralled a hard-hit shot from point-blank range off the foot of Romario Williams.
 
The game took a turn in the 67th minute when Williams was shown a straight red, forcing the Knights to play a man-down the rest of the night. The Pilots took full advantage, creating a handful of opportunities while tightening up on defense. Christensen was forced to make one more game-saving stop in the 88th minute when he smothered a shot by Barry from the top of the six-yard box.
 
After Portland out-shot UCF 12-5 in the first half, the two sides both finished with 14 shots overall on the night. UCF goalkeeper Sebastian Evers made four saves.
 
Escobar and Edwardson each picked up an assist on Portland's goal, with Edwardson registering his first career point.
 
The game featured another nice turnout by the UP student-body as more than 1,200 students packed the Merlo Field bleachers.
 
In the Nike Invite's other game, the Oregon State Beavers topped the Evansville Purple Aces 3-1 in Corvallis. OSU and UP will next swap opponents as the Pilots will host Purple Aces on Sunday at 1 p.m. at Merlo Field.