Ahoy there. Welcome to the Pilots RoundUP, your one-stop shop for monthly Pilot athletic updates.
The RoundUP is The Beacon’s home for all the biggest moments, the latest statistics and most insightful looks at Pilot athletics.
In September, soccer, tennis and volleyball all began their seasons and wrapped up their last non-conference games while cross country got their seasons going, competing in three races. Sit back and relax while you read about all the Portland Pilots action in the last month.
Pilot men's soccer players celebrating. Photo courtesy of UP Athletics.
Men’s Soccer:
Pilot men’s soccer played six non-conference games in September earning a record of 2-4-3. The Pilots dropped in the United Soccer Coaches Top 25 NCAA DI Men National ranking, and the NCAA National Men’s Soccer RPI ranking dropped from No. 8 on Aug. 27, to No. 147 on Sept. 30. Their only win of the month came against Multnomah University on Monday, Sept. 2 winning 7-2. They recorded three draws tying Utah Tech University 1-1, No. 1-ranked Denver University 0-0 and Sacramento State 1-1. The Pilots lost games against California State University-Bakersfield, Saint Louis University and University of California-Santa Barbara.
Senior Sebastian Nava, sophomore Nicholas Dunbar, senior Buba Fofanah and redshirt freshman Joe Highfield lead the team in goals, all with two a piece. The assist leaders are Nava and redshirt junior Wylie Trujillo, with three each. Redshirt sophomore goalkeeper Miguel-Angel Hernandez had a season-high 11 saves in the tie against Denver University.
Men’s soccer must improve their record on Friday, Oct. 4, in the first game of their West Coast Conference (WCC) season against Santa Clara University to be considered for qualification in the 2024 NCAA National Tournament.
Junior Brooke Miller taking a shot. Photo courtesy of UP Athletics.
Women’s Soccer:
Pilot women’s soccer played five non-conference games in September. They notched three shutout wins against California State University-Sacramento, the University of Nebraska and George Fox University. Women’s soccer took 1-1 draws against both Seattle University and California Baptist University in their last non-conference match. They started their West Coast Conference (WCC) season on Saturday, Sept. 28 against Saint Mary’s College of California and won 3-1 despite graduate student Hailey Still’s red card in the 32nd minute. She’ll miss the next match through suspension.
Senior Cally Togiai earned the WCC Offensive Player of the Week award on Monday, Sept. 9 for her two goals and one assist in the games against California State University-Sacramento and the University of Nebraska. Senior goalkeeper Bre Norris earned her first WCC Player of the Week award on Monday, Sept. 16 for her stellar goals-against record, only conceding five goals through eight games. Norris had a season-high ten saves against Saint Mary’s College of California earning her a second WCC Player of the Week award on Monday, Sept. 30. Forward Still leads the team with seven goals while junior midfielder Isabella Yakel leads the Pilots in assists with four.
The Pilots are currently nationally ranked at No. 106 nationally and will need to improve upon their record of 6-2-3 to qualify for the NCAA National Tournament. Next, women’s soccer will play the University of San Francisco in their second game of the WCC season on Wednesday, Oct. 2.
Junior Maui Robins serves that ball. Photo courtesy of UP Athletics.
Volleyball:
Pilot volleyball played seven non-conference games in September including a 3-0 sweep of Seattle University and two wins at the University of California-Irvine/Adidas Invitational. They also played their first and second matches in the West Coast Conference (WCC) sweeping Saint Mary’s College of California 3-0, but losing to Oregon State University 3-1.
Junior Lucia Busso and freshman Tinoa Woodward-Hart were named to the 2024 UC Irvine/Adidas Invitational All-Tournament Team on Sunday, Sept. 8, for their offensive and defensive efforts during the tournament. Junior Maui Robins was awarded WCC Volleyball Offensive Player of the Week on Monday, Sept. 2, for her double-double performance against Idaho State University. Also gaining an accolade, redshirt Freshman Havannah Hoeft won the WCC Volleyball Freshman Player of the Week award on Monday, Sept. 9, for her performances at the UC Irvine/Adidas Invitational where she got a double-double in every match.
Robins leads the team in kills and aces with 162 and 22, Woodward-Hart leads the team in digs with 174, Hoeft leads the team in assists with 478 and sophomore Taina Kaauwai leads the team in blocks with 48. The Pilot’s record is now 8-4 and they will play their third match in the WCC against Washington State University on Thursday, Oct. 3.
The Pilot men's cross country team racing. Photo courtesy of UP Athletics.
Men’s Cross Country:
Pilot men’s cross country raced three times in Sept. at the Green River Gator Invitational, the Cascade Collegiate Conference Preview and the Nuttycombe Invitational. At the Green River Gator Invitational, the Pilots placed first overall with redshirt senior Nate Lantz, redshirt junior Nolan Hosbein, senior Ahmed Sado, redshirt junior Cameron Stein and graduate student Daniel Racle taking the top five spots.
At the Cascade Collegiate Conference Preview, men’s cross country placed second overall ending with 33 points and five runners placing in the top ten.
At the Nuttycombe Invitational, the Pilots placed 14th overall which is a 16-spot improvement from their 30th-place finish at the event last year. Pilot Matt Strangio finished first crossing the line in the 11th spot.
Men’s cross country is ranked at no.16 nationally and will race again at the Charles Bowles Invitational on Saturday, Oct. 5.
Women’s Cross Country:
Pilot women’s cross country also raced three times in September at the Green River Gator Invitational, the Cascade Collegiate Conference Preview and the Nuttycombe Invitational. They finished first overall at the Green River Gator Invitational thanks to freshman Juliette Forstrom, redshirt senior Samantha Prusse, graduate student Teresa Perez and freshman Jane Roloff finishing in the top five positions.
The Pilots finished second overall at the Cascade Collegiate Conference Preview with 46 points and three runners finishing in the top ten.
At the Nuttycombe Invitational women’s cross country finished 22nd overall with Fleur Templier finishing first for the Pilots in 23rd place overall.
Women’s cross country will race next at the Charles Bowles Invitational on Saturday, Oct. 5.
The Pilot women's cross country team racing. Photo courtesy of UP Athletics.
Men’s Tennis:
Pilot men’s tennis opened their 2024 fall season at the Dar Walters Classic hosted by Boise State from Friday, Sept. 13 to Sunday, Sept. 15. The Pilots finished 13-10 in singles and 8-6 in doubles matches at the tournament. In the top-flight Blue Draw, Pilot junior Nikola Keremedchiev and Pilot sophomore Stefan Skobelev won the tournament after beating the University of Idaho, Brigham Young University and Idaho State University. Senior Maxim Groysman and junior Cade Fernando reached the semi-finals of the Blue Draw tournament after beating the University of Nevada and the University of Idaho.
The Pilots will compete next at the ITA Northwest Regional Championships starting on Thursday, Oct. 17.
Women’s Tennis:
Pilot women’s tennis opened their 2024 fall season at the Battle in the Bay Classic. Senior Sally Pethybridge and junior Alaia Rubio Perez represented the Pilots at the tournament. In singles, their record at the tournament was 0-5 and for doubles, it was 0-2.
Aidan Hyde is a sports reporter at The Beacon. He can be reached at hydea25@up.edu.
