SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. – For the first time this year and of his career, Portland Pilots men's soccer striker Jacob Babalai was named the WCC Player of the Week. He is the first Pilot to win the award this year on the men's side.
Babalai takes the honor after scoring two goals and adding one assist in Portland's 4-2 victory over the UC Santa Barbara Gauchos. The goals and assist were the first of his season, and his two goals moved him into the top 30 all-time in career goals. Along with Buba Fofanah, Babalai is the first Pilot to score multiple goals in a match this season.
The Oregon native comes into the season after having scored eight goals and four assists last year for 20 points, the second highest point total of any Pilot last year and the highest of any returning Pilot. Babalai was named to the All-WCC Preseason Team for the first time in his career heading into the this season.
The Pilots are off to a strong start this season. They've won each of their first two matches for the first time since 2004 and have scored seven goals across two matches, the most since 2017. They host the Utah Valley Wolverines tonight at 7 p.m. Check PortlandPilots.com for live stats and video options.
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