PORTLAND, Ore. – The University of Portland and Seattle University will compete for the inaugural Caffé D'arte Coffee Cup on Thursday, Sept. 12 when the teams meet in Seattle. The Pacific Northwest showdown is set for a 7 p.m. kickoff at Championship Field.

The winner of this year's contest will earn the Caffé D'arte Coffee Cup. An MVP will also be selected for the match. Free Caffé D'arte coffee grounds will be given out to fans while supplies last and an espresso cart will be available in the VIP tent.

The rivalry series between the two programs dates back to 1977 and the Pilots hold a 20-6-1 all-time series lead. Portland won the last contest, a 2-1 decision at Merlo Field in 2017. 

Seattle U is 1-0-1 after its opening weekend. It beat San Francisco, 5-0, on opening night, as Noe Meza scored two goals. The Redhawks followed with a scoreless draw against No. 12 Denver on Labor Day. Akili Kasim and the SU defense have yet to allow a goal in 200 minutes of play this season.

Portland is 0-1-1 through two outings in 2019. The Pilots tied Colgate, 0-0, on Friday before dropping a 1-0 decision to Coastal Carolina on Sunday.

Caffé D'arte was founded in 1985 in the Seattle area, with a heritage straight from Southern Italy. It is this region where the delicate craft of coffee roasting using the Italian methods to roast and blend coffees enjoyed around the world.