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PORTLAND PILOTS (2-9-2)
vs. #7 DENVER PIONEERS (11-0-2)
Date: Saturday, October 24, 2015
Location: Portland, Ore.
Kick-off: 7:00 p.m.
Pitch: Merlo Field (4,892)
Live Video: TheW.tv
Live Stats: PortlandPilots.com
 
POR vs. DU
Overall Series: 1-3-1
Here: 0-2-0
There: 0-1-0
Neutral: 1-0-1
Last: @DU 2, POR 1 (Sept. 21, 2014)
 
THIS WEEK
• The Pilots step out of the West Coast Conference this week to host the No. 7 Denver Pioneers on Saturday night at Merlo Field at 7 p.m.
• The Pioneers, from the Summit League, are Portland's fifth ranked opponent of the season and they're the fourth top-10 foe; the Pilots are 1-2-1 against ranked opponents and they're getting out-scored by a slim 3-4 margin in those matches.
 
LAST WEEK
• The Pilots dropped a pair of WCC road matches last weekend at San Diego on Friday night and at Loyola Marymount on Sunday afternoon.
• Friday's game against the Toreros featured a crazy first 25 minutes as both teams scored a pair of goals; the Pilots fell behind by two before goals from Eddie Sanchez and Brandon Zambrano leveled the score.
• The score remained 2-2 until 76th minute when San Diego's Patrick McGrath headed in the game-winner.
• LMU claimed Sunday's game 3-0.
 
ABOUT THE PILOTS...
• The Pilots have shutout two top-10 opponents this season, defeating No. 8 Oregon State 1-0 on Sept. 17 before playing No. 10 Washington to a scoreless draw on Sept. 27.
• Portland is 1-2-1 against ranked opponents, getting out-scored by a slim 3-4 margin in those matches.
• Sophomore goalkeeper Paul Christensen nabbed WCC Player of the Week honors after the shutout at No. 10 Washington and he was the second straight Pilot to earn the award, following senior defender Hugo Rhoads.
• Christensen matched a career high with nine saves during the 0-0 game at UW, while Rhoads scored the only goal in Portland's 1-0 win over OSU.
• Paul Christensen leads the conference in saves (68).
• Paul Christensen and Eddie Sanchez landed on OSU's Hensor/Zaher Classic All-Tournament Team earlier this season.
• Portland features a somewhat young roster with only two true seniors and 10 newcomers.
• Eddie Sanchez was Portland's leading goal scorer last fall and a 2014 All-WCC First Team Selection; Sanchez tallied five goals last year, despite missing six games due to an injury; he also added three assists, which matched a team-high.
• Both Hugo Rhoads and Sanchez were selected to the 2015 Preseason All-WCC Men's Soccer Team.
• Hugo Rhoads and the Pilots received national attention last year after he scored a thunderous goal against Duquesne on Sept. 12; visit this link to see Rhoads featured on SportsCenter's Top 10 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HOx2lQFKHG0.
• Portland's game against then-No. 9 Michigan State (Aug. 28) set a program record with an attendance of 4,596; that record attendance included a remarkable 2,203 students.
• Portland has been to two College Cups (1988 & 1995) and has reached the NCAA Postseason 14 times.
• Head coach Bill Irwin is in his 13th year at the helm of the UP men's soccer program and his 29th year overall on the Portland staff; he began his UP coaching career as an assistant for legendary Clive Charles back in 1987.
• Assistant coach Rob Baarts is in his 12th year on the Portland bench, while assistant coach Brandon McNeil is in his eighth year on the staff; both Baarts (1987-90) and McNeil (1998-2001) played at UP.