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Jillian McBride celebrates Hailey Still's goal against Utah State.

Women's Soccer

Pilots Open WCC Play With Merlo Madness Against Santa Clara

PORTLAND, Ore. – West Coast Conference play begins this Wednesday for the Portland Pilots, who host the Santa Clara Broncos Sept. 24 for another rendition of Merlo Madness.
 
Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. at Merlo Field. Check PortlandPilots.com for tickets, live stats and video options.
 
MATCH INFORMATION
Opponent: Santa Clara Broncos (4-4-0, 0-0-0 WCC)
Day: Wednesday
Date: Sept. 24, 2025
Time: 7 PM
Place: Portland, Ore.
Pitch: Merlo Field
Video: ESPN+
Stats: PortlandPilots.com
 
POR vs. SCU
Overall Series: 16-24-4
H: 10-8-2  •  A: 4-16-2 •  N: 2-0-0
Last: POR 0, @SCU 3
 
PEEK IN THE PORT
  • The Pilots are 3-2-3 on the season after earning a 2-1 win over a 2024 NCAA Tournament team in the Utah State Aggies.
  • Hailey Still and Violet Rademacher were the goalscorers on the day, with Rademacher's being the game-winner. They are the only Pilots to score multiple goals this year, with Still at three goals and Rademacher at two.
  • Sophia Hills posted a career-high five saves in the match, including four in the second half and one on the final shot of the game in the final 10 seconds.
  • Portland's win puts them at 1-1-1 on the year against 2024 NCAA Tournament teams. It's also their third straight unbeaten result.
  • The Pilots currently lead the West Coast Conference in goals-against average (.750) and have allowed just six goals in eight games. Portland has allowed multiple goals in just one game this season.
  • Hills currently leads the WCC in goals-against average at .667 and ranks third in save percentage at .815. Her three shutouts rank second in the WCC as well.
  • The Pilots are coming off a season that saw them finish 9-5-6 overall and 4-3-3 in WCC play. They've won at least nine games each of the last four years, marking the first time the Pilots have put together at least nine wins a season for four straight seasons since a stretch between 2010 and 2013.
  • Last season, they were second in the WCC in goal differential (19), goals-against average (0.850) and shutout percentage (.400) while leading the conference in save percentage (.828).
  • The Pilots were picked to finish sixth in the annual West Coast Conference Preseason Coaches Poll, with Keeley Dockter representing the Pilots on the All-WCC Preseason Team. This is Dockter's first time making it on the preseason squad.
  • Jillian McBride is the lone returner for the Pilots to earn All-WCC honors last season, making the freshman team. She scored one goal and added two assists in her first year on The Bluff.
  • The Pilots return 16 players from last year's squad while adding 11 newcomers.
  • Among the key returners are forward Hailey Still and Hailey Bagby, who were second and third respectively on the team in total points. Still scored seven goals for 14 points while Bagby added four goals and four assists as a defender.
  • Michelle French is in her eighth season as head coach of the Pilots. She's posted a 63-42-24 record overall and led the Pilots to their first postseason appearance in 2022 in nine years. 
 
ABOUT THE BRONCOS
  • The Santa Clara Broncos are 4-4-0 on the season, most recently falling to the California Golden Bears 2-0 in Berkeley.
  • Last year, the Broncos finished 13-4-4 overall with a 6-1-3 record in WCC play. They finished tied with Pepperdine for the best record in conference play, earning a share of the WCC title.
  • They qualified for the NCAA Tournament as well, advancing to the second round.
  • This year, they were picked to win the West Coast Conference in the annual WCC Coaches Poll, with Kennedy Schoennauer making the preseason team.
  • Schoennauer earned All-WCC First Team honors last year with a team-high 11 goals along with an assist. She leads the Broncos this season with three goals herself.
  • The rivalry between the Pilots and the Broncos is a historic one, with the teams having met three times in the NCAA Tournament as a part of their 44 matchups. Portland beat the Broncos in the 2002 national championship game to win their first ever national title.
  • Jerry Smith is in his 39th season as head coach of the Broncos. He's one of three coaches to have reached 500 career wins, sitting at 565-187-76 (.729).
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