PORTLAND, Ore. – The University of Portland women's soccer team has announced its schedule for the 2021 season. The schedule features seven teams that have made the NCAA Tournament since 2019, including a match at Merlo Field and the Clive Charles Soccer Complex against the defending national champions, the Santa Clara Broncos.

"The slate of games scheduled for the 2021 season will be exciting and demanding for our team," assistant coach Maite Zabala said. "With four Pac-12 games scheduled, the Big Sky champions in the University Montana and national champions in Santa Clara, we look forward to the challenges and opportunities we'll face in the fall."

After playing a road exhibition against Bellevue College on Friday, Aug. 13, the Pilots will travel to Utah and Montana to begin the regular season, playing the Utah Utes on Thursday Aug. 19 and the Montana Grizzlies on Sunday, Aug. 22. The Utes made the NCAA Tournament in 2019 and had five straight appearances from 2002 to 2006. The Grizzlies made the tournament this past season after finishing 9-1-0 and winning the Big Sky Conference.

Portland will play their first home match of the season against the California Golden Bears on Friday, Aug. 27 before once again hitting the road. Cal has made the tournament 25 times in the program's history, most recently making it in 2019. They'll then hit the road for a pair of matches in Seattle. They'll take on the Washington Huskies on Thursday, Sept. 2 before going to Seattle University on Sunday, Sept. 5.

The Pilots' final four games in September are split evenly between home and road matches. They'll start with a home game against Colorado College on Saturday, Sept. 11 and a road match against Oregon on Friday, Sept. 17. Portland's final non-conference games will be at home against North Dakota on Sunday, Sept. 19.

After some rest, the Pilots will start up conference play in a strong West Coast Conference. Their first match will be on the road against the Pepperdine Waves, who made the NCAA Tournament back in 2019. Portland will then play two home WCC matches, the first coming against Gonzaga on Wednesday, Oct. 6 and the second that Saturday (Oct. 9) against San Francisco.

Portland will hit the road for their WCC matchup against Saint Mary's on Saturday, Oct. 16 before returning home for two WCC matches against San Diego and Santa Clara. The match against the Toreros will take place on Wednesday, Oct. 20 while the game against the Broncos will be on Saturday, Oct. 23.

The Broncos and Pilots have consistently been powerhouse programs in the West Coast Conference. Santa Clara has won the WCC 11 times and qualified for the NCAA Tournament 30 times since 1989, while the Pilots have 13 league titles and 21 playoff appearances. Each program has two NCAA national championships with the Broncos also winning in 2001 and the Pilots taking the crown in 2002 and 2005.

Portland will play one more match in October – a road match against Loyola Marymount on Saturday, Oct. 30 – before playing their home and road finales in November. Their home finale will be against BYU – who has 20 tournament appearances in the program's history and eight since 2010 – on Wednesday, Nov. 3 before finishing off the season with a road match against Pacific on Saturday, Nov. 6.

The Pilots went 3-4-3 this past spring season and had five players earn All-WCC honors. They are a young squad that will lose only two seniors from the 2020-21 roster.

Portland soccer season tickets are available now and start at just $75 for all men's and women's soccer home matches. Youth team experiences are also available for all home games. For more ticket information, visit PortlandPilots.com or call Dave Taylor at (503) 943-8619 to sign up for season tickets or reserve a group experience today.

2021 Portland Women's Soccer Schedule
Aug. 13 at Bellevue (Exh.), 4 PM
Aug. 19 at Utah, TBA
Aug. 22 at Montana, 12 PM
Aug. 27 vs. California, 4 PM
Sept. 2 at Washington, 6 PM
Sept. 5 at Seattle U, 1 PM
Sept. 11 vs. Colorado College, 7 PM
Sept. 17 at Oregon, 7 PM
Sept. 19 vs. North Dakota, 1 PM
Oct. 2 at Pepperdine, 1 PM*
Oct. 6 vs. Gonzaga, 7 PM*
Oct. 9 vs. San Francisco, 7 PM
Oct. 16 at Saint Mary's, 1 PM*
Oct. 20 vs. San Diego, 7 PM*
Oct. 23 vs. Santa Clara, 7 PM*
Oct. 30 at Loyola Marymount, 4 PM*
Nov. 3 vs. BYU, 7 PM*
Nov. 6 at Pacific, 7 PM*

Home games are in bold.
* Indicates WCC match.