PORTLAND, Ore. – The No. 2 Portland Pilots continue their unbeaten run, opening West Coast Conference play with a 3-0 victory over the Gonzaga Bulldogs. The win improves Portland's record to 7-0-1 overall and 1-0-0 in WCC play.
 
Joe Highfield, Diego Rosas and David Ajagbe were the goalscorers for the Pilots. Highfield's goal was his sixth of the season, Rosas's his first and Ajagbe's his fifth. Portland's unbeaten streak extends to 18, the longest for Portland since 1988 and the second longest in the nation.
 
How it Happened
 
The Pilots opened the scoring deep in the first half. Micaah Garnette and Nikos Clarke-Tosczak passed it back and forth before Clarke-Tosczak played a high-arching ball to Joe Highfield, who headed it in for his sixth goal of the year in the 42^nd minute.
 
Portland got back on the board in the 55^th minute. Anton Hjalmarsson played it forward to Diego Rosas who raced to the goal and sent it into the back of the net for his first score of the year.
 
The Pilots closed the scoring out in the 64^th minute. Angel Martinez played it to Rosas who found Ajagbe on a perfectly curved pass into the box. Ajagbe finished the pass and slid in celebration of his fifth goal, the final of the evening, to make it 3-0 Portland.


 
Game Notes

• Highfield's goal was his sixth of the season, a team high. His 13 goals through two seasons are the most by a Pilot in their first two years since Benji Michel (2016-17).
• The goal for Rosas was his first of the year and second of his career. He is the 11^th Pilot to score this season.
• Ajagbe's goal was his fifth of the season, good for second on the Pilots. His five goals through eight games are the most by a Pilot newcomer in their first eight contests  
• Rosas also earned his sixth assist of the year. The last Pilot to post at least six assists in eight games is Kevin Bonilla in 2023.
• Rosas has 18 assists through three seasons as a Pilot, the most by any Pilot in three seasons since Sebastian Nava (2021-23).
• Nikos Clarke-Tosczak, Michaah Garnette, Anton Hjalmarsson and Angel Martinez each earned their second assists of the year.
• This is the 18^th straight unbeaten match for Portland, dating back to last season. Portland's streak is also the longest for the program since 1988.
• The streak is also the second longest in the nation, trailing just Vermont.
• The Pilots are unbeaten through eight games for the first time since 2022. Their 7-0-1 record is the best since 1988.
• This is the first time in program history the Pilots have earned shutouts in seven of the first eight games of the season.
• The plus-22 goal differential through eight games is the highest since the 1999 season.
• Portland's 3,445 fans in attendance is the highest this season and also the highest since Portland's home opener in 2018 against Sacramento State (4,409).

 

 
Up Next
 
The Pilots play their final nonconference game against the Florida International Panthers on Tuesday, Sept. 30 here at Merlo Field. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. Check PortlandPilots.com for tickets, live stats and video options.

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