While UP students all took winter break to relax, Pilot athletes worked hard, competing in basketball games, track and field meets and tennis kicking off. The men’s soccer team had a few players sign onto pro teams. George Tasouris is on trial with LA Galaxy’s first team, Benji Michel has signed with Portuguese club FC Arouca, Delentz Pierre signed with Real Salt Lake and both Gurman Sangha and Brandon Cambridge signed for Charlotte FC.
Women’s Basketball
While UP was away, the women’s basketball team won six of their seven West Coast Conference (WCC) games.
They first beat San Diego at home on Dec. 17 84-81. Emme Shearer and Alex Fowler both tallied 19 points.
Portland remained at home to take on BYU on Dec. 19 and won 67-45. Fowler tallied 18 points.
In a short stint in California the Pilots took on Loyola Marymount on Dec. 29. Fowler led the Pilots in points scored putting up 24. She was followed closely by Haylee Andrews who put up 23. They beat the Lions 70-61 overall.
The Pilots won their second game in California against the Pepperdine Waves on Dec. 31. The end result was 86-76 with Maisie Burnham leading the scoring for Portland with 21 points.
Portland returned home for the next three games, first taking on Santa Clara on Jan. 5. While matching the program record for threes in a game with 15 total, they won 81-71. Fowler led the Pilots again, this time with 26 points total.
On Jan. 7 the Pilots beat San Francisco University 77-46. Andrews set the program record for assists in a game with 14 total and Shearer set a career high with 21 points.
Photo courtesy of Pilots Athletics
The Pilots were dealt their first loss in conference as they took on the Gonzaga Bulldogs. Both teams were tied for first going into the Jan. 14 match. Portland battled to the finish but lost 73-66; Andrews put up 27 points total.
The women’s basketball team travels to California for two games against Saint Mary’s on Jan. 19 and Pacific University on Jan. 21.
Men’s Basketball
Men’s basketball competed in seven games during the break they lost all but one. Two of those seven games were on the road and non conference games.
The team traveled to Eugene first where they took on the University of Oregon on Dec. 17 losing 56-78. Tyler Robertson tallied the most points for the Pilots, putting up 13.
On Dec. 22, the Pilots traveled to California where they lost to UC Riverside 65-76. Alden Applewhite put up the most points for the Pilots with 20, a career high. Applewhite also tallied three steals in the game.
Conference play started at home on Dec. 29 against Loyola Marymount. Teammate Mike Meadows put in an effort for the Pilots, scoring 29 points total, making it a career high. However, the Pilots still fell short losing 72-92.
Photo courtesy of Pilots Athletics and James Snook of USA Today
On Dec. 31 the Pilots hit the road to play BYU where they lost 58-71. A third Pilot, Kristan Sjolund, marked his career high against the cougars, putting up a total of 32 points.
Portland remained on the road, traveling to California to take on Saint Marys on Jan. 7 where they fell 43-85. Applewhite earned the most points for the Pilots again, putting up 13.
Returning home on Jan. 12 Portland took on San Francisco University, the Pilots picked up their first conference win of the season. They won 92-87 and Robertson scored 23 points in total. This game was a team effort as Sjolund and Moses Wood also put up over 20 points.
Photo courtesy of Pilots Athletics
Portland traveled to Spokane to take on nationally ranked Gonzaga (No. 8) on Jan. 14. They lost 75-115 but Wood managed to put up 19 points and Sjolund earned a double-double with 17 points and 12 rebounds.
The men’s basketball team has two upcoming home games. On Jan. 19 they take on San Diego at 6 p.m. and then Pepperdine at 3 p.m. on Jan. 21.
Track and Field
The men’s and women’s track and field teams competed in the University of Washington Indoor Preview on Jan. 14.
Key moments from the meet included Laura Pellicoro's indoor school record in the 3,000 meter event and Yutaka Roberts' No. 2 All-Time performance in the 800 meter run.
The track teams next compete at home on Jan. 22 in the Portland Indoor One.
Women’s Tennis
Photo courtesy of Pilots Athletics
The women’s tennis team beat UC Davis in their home opener on Jan. winning 4-3 overall. The Pilots secured the doubles point with wins from Iva Zelic and Sally Pethybridge and Rimona Rouf and Aleksandra Dimitrijevic.
Photo courtesy of Pilots Athletics
They will travel to the University of Washington next on Jan. 28 to compete in their next match.
Wilder Isom is the Sports Editor at The Beacon. She can be reached at isomw24@up.edu
