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The Pilots celebrate postgame with the fans in the stands.

Men's Soccer

No. 9 Pilots Take on No. 24 Billikens in Saint Louis

SAINT LOUIS, Mo. – The No. 9 Portland Pilots hit the road for a ranked matchup against the No. 24 Saint Louis Billikens. The two teams play on Friday, Sept. 12, with kickoff set for 5 p.m. Pacific on ESPN+. Check PortlandPilots.com for live stats and video options.
 
MATCH INFORMATION
Opponent: #24 Saint Louis Billikens (3-1-1, 0-0-0 A-10)
Day: Friday
Date: Sept. 12, 2025
Time: 5 PM
Place: Saint Louis, Mo.
Pitch: Hermann Stadium
Video: ESPN+
Stats: PortlandPilots.com
 
POR vs. STL
Overall Series: 1-2-1
H: 1-1-1 • A: 0-0-0 • N: 0-1-0
Last: @POR 0, STL 2 (2024)
 
PEEK IN THE PORT
  • The Pilots are 5-0-0 to start the season for the first time since 1988. This is also the first time the Pilots have started with five straight shutouts since that same year.
  • Portland is one of just six teams sitting at 5-0-0 or better in the country and are the one of three to have earned a clean sheet in all of those contests.
  • Most recently, they earned a 1-0 win over the Kansas City Roos at home, beating a team that was receiving votes in the United Soccer Coaches poll last week and also ranked 19th by TopDrawerSoccer.
  • Anton Hjalmarsson scored his first goal as a Pilot in the match.
  • They lead the nation in goals per game (3.60), shutout percentage (1.000), goals-against average (0.000), save percentage (1.000) and goal differential (18) and rank second nationally in goals (18), assists (21), points (57), assists per game (4.20) and points per game (11.40). They lead the WCC in all those categories.
  • Their 18-0 goal differential to start the year is the best in program history.
  • Individually, several Pilots rank among the best in the nation.
  • Joe Highfield leads the WCC in goals (four) and points (11) and ranks 14th and 11th nationally in those categories respectively. He was the first Pilot since 2016 to score at least four goals in the first three games and is the second in the last three years to have four goals through five games.
  • Diego Rosas has four assists on the year, ranking fourth nationally and first in the WCC. His 0.80 assists per game is ninth nationally and first in the conference.
  • Miguel-Angel Hernandez is one of eight players to have posted a goals-against average of zero and has four shutouts so far this year, the most in the WCC. He was named the WCC Defensive Player of the Week for his performances this past week.
  • With three goals each, Nicky Dunbar and David Ajagbe are each third in the conference in goals this season.
  • The Pilots hold a 15-game unbeaten streak that stretches back to last season.
  • 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 95-46-21 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.
ABOUT THE BILLIKENS
  • The Saint Louis Billikens are 3-1-1 on the season, ranking 24th on the latest United Soccer Coaches Top 25 poll.
  • They fell to the Indiana Hoosiers on the road but defeated the SIUE Cougars 2-1 to win the Bronze Boot most recently.
  • The Billikens went 8-5-8 last season and 4-1-3 in A-10 play. They advanced to the A-10 Championship final and also earned a berth to the NCAA Tournament, falling in the first round to the Kansas City Roos.
  • The Pilots and Billikens played last season in Portland, with the Pilots falling 2-0.
  • The Billikens were picked to finish third in the Atlantic 10 this fall, with goalkeeper Jeremi Abonnel making the preseason team.
  • Abonnel has allowed just two goals this season and has the Billikens tied for 16th nationally in goals-against average. He posted nine shutouts in 20 matches last season.
  • Kevin Kalish is in his eighth season in charge of the Billikens. A Saint Louis alum, he holds a 72-32-28 record as coach of the Billikens and a 121-78-42 record overall.
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