PORTLAND PILOTS (5-12-1, 2-6-0 WCC)
WEEK 12: at No. 12 Pepperdine Waves (13-2-3, 7-0-1 WCC)
 
Day: Saturday
Date: Nov. 4, 2017
Time: 1:00 PM
Place: Malibu, Calif.
Pitch: Rokus Field
Video: TheW.tv
Stats: PepperdineWaves.com
 
POR vs. PEPP
Overall Series: 16-6-1
H: 10-3-0  •  A: 6-3-1  •  N: 0-0-0
Last: @POR 0, PEPP 0 (2ot) (9/30/2016)
 
THIS WEEK
• The Pilots conclude the 2017 campaign this weekend when they travel to Malibu, Calif., to face the first-place and 12th-ranked Pepperdine Waves on Saturday afternoon.
• Kick-off for the West Coast Conference match-up is set for 1 p.m. at Rokus Field, and a live stream is available at TheW.tv.
 
LAST WEEK
• The Pilots dropped a pair of close decisions at Merlo Field, succumbing to both San Diego and BYU by 1-0 margins.
• On Thursday night the Pilots out-played and out-shot the Toreros, but San Diego's Summer Mason scored the game's only goal in the 76th minute.
• Portland's Hannah Griffiths Boston hit the crossbar with a header in the second half, and Natalie Muth had a header cleared off the goal line by a defender during the closing minutes.
• On Saturday night, BYU's Elise Flake provided the game-winner in the 68th minute.
• Again the Pilots were able to create chances all night long, including a 1-v-1 breakaway opportunity for Kimberly Hazlett in the second half, but the home side was ultimately unable to capitalize.
 
ABOUT THE PILOTS
• Junior keeper Rachel Lusby recorded a career-best 11 saves during a 2-1 double overtime win at LMU (Oct. 14); the 11 stops are tied for the second most in game ever at UP.
• Portland's six assists this season have come from six different players.
• Portland has been on the short end of a 1-0 decision seven times this season.
• Two of Portland's four wins this season have come on a game-winner in the final 10 minutes of regulation, while another game-winner came in double overtime.
• Kaycie Young scored the game-winner in the 90th minute against Oregon State (Sept. 15), and Hannah Griffiths Boston found the back of the net in the 84th minute of a 2-1 win over Portland State (Aug. 18); both of those goals came on a PK.
• Freshman Taryn Ries added to the last-minute dramatics on Oct. 14 with a game-winner in the 105th minute at LMU.
• Senior Hannah Griffiths Boston, Portland's leading scorer a year ago with eight goals, is tied for the team-high with sophomore Larkin Russell with two goals this season; Griffiths Boston ranked fourth in the WCC in goals last fall.
• Eight of Portland's 11 goals this fall have been scored by different players.
• The Pilots entered the season with 14 returning letterwinners and seven starters, but the Pilots are a young squad as they've regularly had multiple freshmen in the starting XI.
• Portland returned the majority of its offense from a year ago as seven of the Pilots' eight leading goal scorers came back.
• Sophomore midfielder/forward Kimberly Hazlett was voted to the Preseason All-WCC Team; a year ago Hazlett, who had two goals and an assist in her first year on The Bluff, landed on the league's all-freshman team.
• Portland's roster includes a heralded freshman class, which was ranked 28th in the nation by Top Drawer Soccer.
• The freshman class features a handful of local players including Olivia Dendinger (Hillsboro), Taryn Ries (Ridgefield, Wash.) and Ellie Walker (Vancouver); Ries was the No. 62 ranked recruit in the country, while fellow freshman Kendra Steele (Bellingham, Wash.) was No. 102.
• Head coach Garrett Smith, who has been named WCC Coach of the Year six times, is in his 15th year at the helm of the Pilots; he spent the previous 11 years as an assistant coach with Portland.
• Smith, a Portland men's soccer alum, has posted a career overall record of 222-77-24, while guiding the Pilots to a 78-29-9 mark in the WCC; he led the Pilots to a national title in 2005.
• Former Pilot midfielder Lisa Chambers is in her 11th year as an assistant coach, while UP men's soccer alum Miguel Guante (2002-05) is in his first season as an assistant coach for the women's program.
• Guante played both in the midfield and at right back for the Pilots, earning All-WCC Second Team honors all four years; he helped lead the Pilots to the Second Round of the NCAA Playoffs three times.
• Portland won the NCAA National Championship in 2002 and in 2005, and the 2002 squad will be inducted into the Oregon Sports Hall of Fame this fall.
• The Pilots have advanced to the post-season during 21 of the past 25 seasons.
• The Pilots have led the nation in attendance during 10 of the last 12 years.
 
ABOUT THE OPPONENTS
• The No. 12 Pepperdine Waves sit in first place in the WCC with 22 points; Santa Clara and San Diego are tied for second with 18 points each.
• Last Friday in Malibu, the Waves defeated Pacific 9-0, which marked the largest margin of victory and most goals scored by Pepperdine against a DI opponent.
• Pepperdine has outscored opponents 41-6 and they've recorded 12 shutouts.
• Senior Bri Visalli leads the league with 12 goals and six assists, and redshirt-junior goalie Brielle Preece has played every minute in goal, leading the conference in GAA (0.32), save percentage (.910) and clean sheets (12).
• Head coach Tim Ward is in his 20th year, and he's led the Waves to nine NCAA Tournaments.