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Portland Men's Soccer gathers for a team photo after their win in the second round of the 2025 NCAA Tournament over Denver.
Akimba Agbohessou

Men's Soccer

Pilots Host Grand Canyon for Sweet 16 Showdown at Merlo Field

PORTLAND, Ore. – Portland Pilots Men's Soccer is still dancing, with the 8-seed Pilots hosting the Grand Canyon Antelopes on Saturday, Nov. 29 at 7 p.m. here at Merlo Field. It's just the second time in program history the Pilots have hosted a Round of 16 matchup.
 
Tickets for the game can be found at PortlandPilots.com/NCAASoccer. Live stats and video options are also available at PortlandPilots.com.
 
MATCH INFORMATION
Opponent: Grand Canyon Antelopes (14-3-5, 3-1-3 WAC)
Day: Saturday
Date: Nov. 29, 2025
Time: 7 PM
Place: Portland, Ore.
Pitch: Merlo Field
Video: ESPN+
Stats: PortlandPilots.com
 
POR vs. GCU
Overall Series: N/A
H: N/A • A: N/A • N: N/A
Last: N/A
 
DANCING ONCE AGAIN
  • Portland Pilots Men's Soccer is back in the NCAA Tournament, qualifying for the fourth time in five seasons and the sixth time under head coach Nick Carlin-Voigt.
  • Portland earned the 8-seed in the tournament, giving them the coveted first-round bye for the tournament. They advanced past the Denver Pioneers in their second-round matchup after tying them in regulation and winning in penalty kicks.
  • This was Portland's first ever win in penalty kicks in the playoffs and their first playoff game to go to penalties since 2016.
  • The Pilots host the Grand Canyon Antelopes, marking the second time ever the Pilots have hosted the Round of 16 in the NCAA Tournament, both times happening under head coach Nick Carlin-Voigt.
  • Following the results from the first and second rounds, the Pilots have earned the opportunity to host all the way through the quarterfinals of the tournament. They are the third-highest season remaining in the tournament.
  • This is the 20th time in program history the Pilots have made it to the NCAA Tournament, the third time they've earned a first-round bye and the second time in the last three seasons they have done so.
  • The Pilots have played to at least the second round in five of their last six tournament appearances and have won at least one tournament game under Carlin-Voigt four separate times.
AWARDS SEASON
  • Numerous Pilots earned All-WCC and WCC All-Academic honors this past week, including a major award win for Diego Rosas.
  • Rosas was named the WCC Midfielder of the Year while also making the All-WCC First Team. He's the second Pilot in the last three seasons as well as ever to win the award.
  • Rosas, David Ajagbe, Sebastian Hernandez and Joe Highfield all earned first team honors, giving Portland their highest total of first team honorees since 1995.
  • Efetobo Aror and Miguel-Angel Hernandez earned All-WCC Second Team honors, Nikos Clarke-Tosczak and Wylie Trujillo earned honorable mention and Christian Mendoza made the freshman team.
  • Rosas has 14 assists on the season, which is the second most in the nation. His 14 assists also tied a program record set in 1991 by Joe Leonetti and are the most by a WCC player since 1995. His eight assists in conference play are also the most by a WCC player since 2005.
  • Ajagbe led the Pilots in scoring in the regular season with 10 goals and four assists on the year for 24 points. He is second in the conference in goals and third in points, ranking 27th and 36th nationally in those categories.
  • His five game-winning goals are tied for the most in the WCC and are also tied for sixth nationally. It's the highest total of game-winning goals for a Pilot since Brandon Cambridge in 2022.
  • Ajagbe is the first Pilot to score at least 10 goals in his debut season since Benji Michel did so in 2016.
  • Highfield currently leads the Pilots in scoring with 10 goals and five assists after making the first team for the second straight year. Highfield is second in both goals and points (25) in the conference, ranking 27th  and 24th nationally in those respective categories. Three of those goals were game winners, ranking fourth in the WCC and 34th nationally.
  • With 17 goals through his first two seasons, Highfield's got the most goals through two seasons also since Michel.
  • Sebastian Hernandez, the captain for the Pilots, has helped transform the back line into a steel curtain. He's started 17 of a possible 18 games and has guided Portland to their best defensive season since 1988.
  • Portland's allowed just 11 goals this year, the third fewest in the nation. Their goals-against average of .639 ranks eighth in the nation and first in the WCC. Hernandez has two goals and two assists on the year as well.
  • Aror leads off the second team selections for Portland. Aror has played in 17 matches with 16 starts for Portland, notching a goal and assist while controlling the game in the midfield.
  • Miguel-Angel Hernandez is a fortress in goal, posting eight shutouts with a .639 goals-against average and a .784 save percentage. His save percentage ranks first in the WCC and 30th nationally and his goals-against average ranks second in the conference and ninth nationally.
  • Clarke-Tosczak played the most minutes of any Pilot this year at 1,463, notching four assists playing at left back. His four assists are tied for fourth on the Pilots this season.
  • Trujillo has played all 18 matches for Portland with 16 starts. Trujillo has notched two assists on the year while being crucial in moving the ball forward offensively. This is the first time Trujillo has earned any All-WCC recognition.
  • Mendoza rounds out the All-WCC honorees. Mendoza has played in 10 contests for the Pilots with three starts, notching a goal and two assists in that span. His lone goal came in a victory over Lewis & Clark, and his second assist proved to be on the game-winning goal for the Pilots against Denver.
  • The Pilots have had at least one player make the All-WCC Freshman Team each of the last 10 seasons now.
  • Highfield and Aror each made the WCC All-Academic First Team as well.
 
PEEK INTO THE PORT
  • The Portland Pilots are 13-1-4 on the year and finished 6-1-2 in WCC play. It was their best regular season record by win total since 1995 and their best by win percentage (.853) since 1988.
  • The Pilots are one of the top teams in the nation statistically, ranking third in assists (55) and assists per game (3.00), fifth in win-loss-tied percentage (.833), fourth in points per game (7.67), eighth goals-against average (.693), fifth in goal differential (31), sixth in points (138), seventh in goals per game (2.33), 16th in shutout percentage (.500) and 10th in goals (42).
  • Portland's 55 breaks the program record set in 2023
  • The Pilots have allowed just 11 goals this year, the fewest by any Pilot team since 1988. It's the third fewest in total nationally.
  • The Pilots posted a 23-game unbeaten streak that stretched between last year and this year, the longest in program history and the second longest in the nation.
  • Earlier this year, the Pilots were ranked No. 1 in the United Soccer Coaches Poll, their first No. 1 ranking ever in the poll and their first in any poll since 1992. They have been ranked in the top 10 for 10 straight weeks.
  • Highfield and Ajagbe both made the Mac Hermann Midseason Watch List, marking the first time two Pilots have made any Mac Hermann list since 2018 (Benji Michel, Rey Ortiz).
  • Both players were also named to TopDrawerSoccers Midseason Top 100 Players list, with Ajagbe ranking seventh and Highfield 75th.
  • This year, they were picked to finish third in the 2025 West Coast Conference Preseason Poll, with forward Joe Highfield and midfielder Efetobo Aror each making the preseason team.
  • Highfield was the first Pilot to make the All-WCC First Team and the All-WCC Freshman Team in the same season since Benji Michel in 2016, scoring seven goals and adding three assists. His four goals and three assists against WCC opponents were the second most in the conference.
  • Aror was drafted in the first round of the 2025 MLS SuperDraft this past year by the Colorado Rapids but chose to return. The WCC Freshman of the Year in 2023, he played in 10 matches with six starts, recording a goal and assist.
  • Aror, along with Pilot newcomer David Ajagbe, was also named to the TopDrawerSoccer Top 100 players in the preseason, slotting in at 52nd. Ajagbe ranks 99th on the list.
  • Ajagbe scored seven goals and added two assists with the Ohio State Buckeyes last season, who earned the top overall seed in the NCAA Tournament last year. Ajagbe made the All-Big Ten Freshman team and the TopDrawerSoccer Freshman Best XI Second Team.
  • Last season, the Pilots were a dynamic offensive team, ranking second in the WCC in goals per game (1.78), total assists (44), total points (108), points per game (6.00) and assists per game (2.44). Their 2.44 assists per game ranked ninth nationally while their assist total ranked 14th.
  • The Pilots also were in the top 50 nationally in points per game, (21st), total points (27th), goals per game (44th) and total goals (32, 46th).
  • The Pilots return 16 players from last year's roster while welcoming 16 newcomers. The incoming class ranks fifth nationally on TopDrawerSoccer.
  • Of the 16 returners, Portland returns three players who earned All-WCC honors: Highfield, Miguel-Angel Hernandez (Second Team) and Diego Rosas (Honorable Mention).
  • Hernandez played in seven matches last year, posting shutouts in three of those matches. 
  • Rosas led the Pilots in assists in his second season with the Pilots, posting eight assists. He was the third Pilot since 2017 to post at least three assists in a game, doing so against the LMU Lions.
  • Nick Carlin-Voigt enters his 10th year as head coach of the Pilots. He has posted a 103-47-25 record during his tenure, having led Portland to the NCAA Tournament five times during that span.
  • Carlin-Voigt was at the helm when the Pilots advanced to the Elite Eight in 2022, their first appearance that deep in the tournament since 1995.
  • Carlin-Voigt reached 100 career wins on Oct. 18 against the Pacific Tigers, becoming the third Pilot coach to reach the benchmark.
 
ABOUT THE LOPES
  • The Grand Canyon Antelopes are 14-3-5 on the year and 3-1-3 in WAC play. The 'Lopes won the 2025 WAC Tournament this year to qualify for the NCAA Men's Soccer Championships.
  • The 'Lopes preceded to beat the UCLA Bruins in penalty kicks in the first round of the tournament before beating the No. 9 San Diego Toreros in the second round.
  • Last year, the 'Lopes went just 5-10-3 overall and 2-6-1 in the WAC.
  • Junior Diouf leads the nation in scoring with 18 goals and six assists this year for 42 points.
  • George Kiefer is in his second season as head coach for GCU. He has 23 years of head coaching experience, going 230-151-82 in that time span.
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Secure your spot now for any upcoming Portland Pilots ticketed home event by visiting PortlandPilots.com/Tickets or by downloading the Portland Pilots App.  For group and fan experience package information, email pilotsboxoffice@up.edu.

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