PORTLAND PILOTS (0-0-0, 0-0-0 WCC)
WEEK 1: vs. Northern Arizona
 
Northern Arizona Lumberjacks (0-0-0, 0-0-0 Big Sky)
Day: Friday
Date: Aug. 17, 2018
Time: 7:00 PM
Place: Portland, Ore.
Pitch: Merlo Field
Video: TheW.tv
Stats: PortlandPilots.com
 
POR vs. NAU
Overall Series: 3-0-0
H: 2-0-0  •  A: 1-0-0  •  N: 0-0-0
Last: @POR 6, NAU 1 (11/14/08 - NCAA 1st Rd.)
 
THIS WEEK
• The Portland Pilots begin the Michelle French era this weekend when they host Northern Arizona in the 2018 season opener on Friday night.
• Kickoff at Merlo Field for the Pilots and Lumberjacks is set for 7 p.m.
• A live video stream for the match is available at TheW.tv.
• French, a Portland soccer alum who spent the past 12 years coaching in the U.S. Soccer system, was hired in December as the program's new head coach.
 
LAST WEEK
• The Pilots defeated the British Columbia Thunderbirds 3-1 in their lone exhibition game, which was played last Friday at Merlo Field.
• Preseason All-WCC selection Kimberly Hazlett scored twice during the win, and Taryn Ries added Portland's third goal.
 
Next Week
• The Pilots remain at home next when they host San Jose State at Merlo Field on Friday, Aug. 24, and Washington on Sunday, Aug. 26.
• San Jose State is coached by Portland alum Lauren (Orlandos) Hanson, and the game is the second part of a double header with the UP men, with kickoff slated for 8 p.m.
• Friday's contest will also be preceded by the always popular Bite on the Bluff, which will take place in the adjacent Chiles Center Plaza.
• Kickoff with the Huskies on Sunday is set for 5 p.m.
 
ABOUT THE PILOTS
• The Pilots are under the guidance of first-year head coach Michelle French, a Portland alum who was hired to take the reins of the program in December.
• French comes to The Bluff after spending the past 12 years coaching in the U.S. Soccer system, most recently as an assistant coach with the Senior Women's National Team.
• With the Pilots, French (1995-98) was an All-American defender, a four-year starter, and a finalist for National Player of the Year as a senior in 1998; she led the Pilots to three NCAA Final Four appearances as a player, including the NCAA title game in 1995.
• The Pilots return the bulk of their roster, 17 letter winners and eight starters, from 2017, which includes two players who earned all-conference accolades last fall.
• Senior goalkeeper Rachel Lusby landed all-league honorable mention, while junior forward Kimberly Hazlett was named to the All-WCC Second Team.
• Lusby's 5.05 saves per game in 2017 are an all-time program single season record, while her 96 total saves missed matching a program record by one; she currently ranks No. 1 all-time at Portland in career saves per game (4.18), she's sixth all-time in overall career saves (159), and her career save percentage of .783 ranks 10th all-time.
• Hazlett has earned all-conference recognition both of her years on The Bluff.
• Hazlett also landed on the 2018 All-WCC Preseason Team, which is the second straight year to earn that distinction.
• The Pilots were selected to finish seventh in the conference.
• New this season are a group of seven newcomers, which includes redshirt-freshman goalkeeper Carly Becker and a pair of JC transfers.
• Joining French on the staff are assistant coaches Dominic Doty and Maite Zabala, volunteer assistant coach Rachael Rapinoe, and Director of Operations Elli Reed.
• Doty, who's a native of nearby McMinnville, was previously the head assistant coach at San Jose State.
• Zabala is a heralded goalkeeper coach who came to UP from Boise State.
• Rapinoe is a UP alum who was a member of the 2005 National Championship team.
• Reed, who is also a Portland alum, recently retired following a lengthy pro career, which ended with a five-year stint with the Seattle Reign in the NWSL.
• Portland has a strong and proud women's soccer tradition and is one of just four programs to win multiple NCAA Championships in the sport (2002, 2005).
• The Pilots have made eight Final Four appearances (1994-96, 1998, 2000-02, 2005) and they've won 13 WCC Championships.
• The Pilots have advanced to the post-season during 21 of the past 26 seasons.
• The Pilots led the nation in attendance for 10 consecutive seasons from 2005 through 2014.
 
ABOUT THE OPPONENT
• The Northern Arizona Lumberjacks went 9-10-1 last season and were selected to finish fourth in the Big Sky Conference this year.
• Northern Arizona returns 22 letterwinners and seven starters, and they add 10 newcomers to the roster.
• Junior midfielder Carly Gamble was a 2017 First Team All-Conference selection, and senior Madeline Waszak and junior Malia Lyken are the team's top returning goal scorers, with both tallying three goals last fall.
• Andre Luciano enters his 18th year as head coach at NAU, and he's the winningest coach in the history of Big Sky soccer; Luciano led the Lumberjacks to the NCAA Playoffs in 2008, 2009, and 2014.