Complete Bracket (pdf) I Interactive Bracket
PORTLAND, Ore. --- The Portland Pilots men’s soccer team received an at-large bid to the 2009 NCAA postseason and will open with a first round game against the New Mexico Lobos in Albuquerque, N.M., on Thursday at 6:00 p.m. (PST). The winner of the UP-UNM match advances to play at North Carolina State in the second round on Sunday, Nov. 22.
The Pilots last advanced to the 48-team NCAA tournament in 2007.
“We’re obviously happy to be in and we’re looking forward to going to New Mexico,” Portland Director of Soccer and head coach Bill Irwin said. “The guys have done well and deserve to be there and we will be ready for the game Thursday night.”
Portland finished the regular season with a 10-5-5 overall record and was fourth in the West Coast Conference with a 4-4-4 league mark. The Pilots are one of four WCC schools to make the tourney as regular season champion San Diego received the league’s automatic berth, while Saint Mary’s and LMU received at-large bids. The last time four WCC schools reached the postseason was in 2004.
New Mexico, of the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation, received an at-large bid after going 12-6-1 overall and 5-2 in the league.
The Pilots have now reached the postseason 14 times in the history of men’s soccer on The Bluff and advanced to the College Cup twice (1988, 1995). The last time the Pilots advanced to the playoffs was in 2007 when Portland dropped a 1-0 decision at Washington in the first round.
Six teams from the ACC reached the tournament, while Akron received the No. 1 overall seed. Virginia earned the No. 2 seed and is in Portland’s portion of the bracket, while Wake Forest is the No. 3 seed and Ohio State grabbed the No. 4 seed.