SAN DIEGO, Calif. – Buoyed by a haul from David Ajagbe, the Portland Pilots defeated the No. 25 San Diego Toreros 5-4 in a chaoitc WCC match on the road. The win puts the Pilots at 6-3-2 overall and 3-0-0 in WCC play.
Ajagbe scored four goals in the effort, tied for the most of any player in NCAA Division I this season and the most by any Pilot since CJ Tibbling scored four in 2022. This is just the seventh time in program history a Pilot has scored four goals or more in a match. He now leads the Pilots with eight goals this year. Diego Rosas and Isaac Emojong had two assists each while Joe Highfield also added an assist. Rosas is now just three assists shy of matching the program record for assists in a career, with Rosas currently sitting at 33.
With the win, the Pilots have now won five in a row and three in WCC play. This is the first time they've gone 3-0-0 in WCC play to start since 2022. The Pilots have scored 14 goals in their first three conference games, the most in program history in WCC play through three matches. Their plus-10 goal differential through three matches is also the best since 1991.
How it Happened
Portland struck first, turning defense into offense in the third minute. Rosas intercepted the pass and managed to find Highfield, who flicked it to Ajagbe. Ajagbe finished it off to score his fifth goal of the season and the first of four on the day.
San Diego scored soon after in the eighth minute to even things at one, with Oliver Rhoades scoring for the Toreros. But that didn't last long, with the Pilots scoring in the 12
th minute. Isaac Emojong set up for the free kick and muscled it through the wall to the feet of Waggoner, who finished it off to make it 2-1.
It was a chaotic second half, with six goals between both sides. After the Pilots gave up an equalizing goal in the 51
st minute, Ajagbe scored twice within seconds, both goals coming in the 52
nd minute. The first goal came on a corner kick, with Emojong soaring it in for a rising Ajagbe, who headed it in for a goal. On the second goal, Rosas once again turned over the Toreros, pushing it through to Ajagbe who let it fly just outside the box for the finish. Portland led 4-2 just seven minutes into the second half.
Ajagbe scored his final goal on a penalty kick. Ajagbe drew the foul in the box after being tugged down by his jersey, earning the PK. Ajagbe handled the shot himself, stepping to the spot and netting it for his fourth goal and the Pilots' fifth. San Diego pushed, scoring twice in the 71
st and 73
rd minutes, but the Pilots ultimately won 5-4.
Game Notes
- Ajagbe's four goals are the most by a Pilot since 2022. He's just the seventh Pilot in program history to have at least four goals in a match.
- Ajagbe's up to eight goals on the year, 18 for his Pilot career and 25 for his whole career.
- Waggoner's goal is his second of the season and his first game-winner of the year.
- Highfield, Rosas and Emojong all picked up assists on the day. They have seven, six and five assists on the year respectively.
- Highfield's seven assists lead the WCC and the Pilots. It's the most he's had in a single season and has him at 15 for his career.
- Rosas now has 33 career assists, which is the most of any NCAA Division I player and the third most in program history. He's just three away from tying the program record and four from breaking it.
- Miguel-Angel Hernandez added four saves on the day.
- This is the fifth straight win for the Pilots and the third straight in conference play. Portland's the only WCC team to be 3-0-0 to start the year.
- This is the first time they've started 3-0 in WCC play since 2022.
- Portland's 14 goals through three conference games are the most through their first three WCC matches in program history. Their plus-10 goal differential through three conference games is their best since 1991.
- Nine goals is the most combined goals in a Division I match for Portland since 2001 against Air Force.
Up Next
Portland returns home to welcome their newest conference foe, the Denver Pioneers. The two teams play on Saturday, Oct. 17 at 7 p.m. The match is a 503 game, with $5 tickets, free parking and $3 hot dogs available to our fans. Check PortlandPilots.com for tickets, live stats and video options.
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