PORTLAND, Ore. --- Portland's Benji Michel scored a goal for the sixth straight game and goalkeeper Kienan Weekes made six clutch saves as the No. 20 Pilots shutout the No. 9 Washington Huskies 1-0 in front of 3,151 fans at an electric Merlo Field on Friday night. Michel collects his third game-winner on the season, and Weekes records his second clean sheet.
 
Portland remains unbeaten on the year, improving to 5-0-1, which is the best start to a season for the Pilots since 1989. The Huskies drop to 5-2-0, with both losses coming to ranked opponents.
 
Michel's goal came in the 21st minute only moments after he hit a shot wide. This time a deflected ball fell to the forward's feet, and he gained possession with a deft touch. Michel then powered his way through traffic before finishing inside the far post from a tough angle. The goal gave the home side a 1-0 lead.
 
From there the Pilots nearly capitalized on a handful of set pieces, including in the 27th minute when Michel just missed getting on the end of a stellar free kick whipped in by Greg Tracey. In the 36th minute, Tracey sent another dangerous ball into the area. This time Alejandro Pereira put a header on-target from point-blank range, but UW keeper Saif Kerawala was there for the stop, keeping it a one-goal game.
 
The Huskies came out of the halftime locker room and desperately searched for the equalizer, and they nearly found it in the 62nd minute. On a decent ball sent into the area, Quentin Pearson hit a header towards the goal, but Weekes somehow got to it, punching it wide to preserve the 1-0 lead.
 
At the other end of the field, Malcolm Dixon hit one from 18 yards out that was saved by Kerawala, and a few minutes later the Huskies were fortunate to a block a shot off the foot of Luke Hendel from the top of the six.
 
The focus then shifted back to Weekes, and the senior continued to come through with clutch save after clutch save, finishing with a career-high in stops. On a shot off the foot of Scott McKenzie that appeared destined for the left corner of the net, Weekes just did get a touch on it with a reactionary save, re-directing wide.
 
The Pilots next welcome American University to Merlo Field for a 7 p.m. match on Sunday night. Kickoff with the Eagles is slated for 7 p.m.