PORTLAND, Ore. – The Saint Mary's Men's Soccer Team will open WCC play at No. 9 Portland this Friday at 7:00 p.m. The Gaels are 18-25-4 all time against Portland, but defeated the Pilots 1-0 in Moraga, Calif. last season. SMC has won five straight against Portland and 11 of the last 13 meetings, though this year's Pilots team is nationally ranked.
 
THE DETAILS
Saint Mary's (5-3-1) vs Portland (6-0-3)
Friday, September 30 at 7:00 pm
Clive Charles Soccer Complex – Portland, Ore.
Watch Live | Live Stats |
 
LAST TIME OUT
A goal in the 81st minute by the Cal Bears stopped SMC's unbeaten streak at five games in a 1-0 victory over the Gaels last Sunday afternoon in Berkeley, Calif.
 
In the 81st minute the Bears streaked downfield and a perfect throw from the goalkeeper and got another pass over the Gaels defense to break the scoreless tie from just outside the six-yard box.
 
The Gaels had chances throughout the game to score, outshooting the Bears 15-14, though Cal had two more shots on goal than Saint Mary's. They had their best opportunities in the ninth minute and in the 41st, as the Gaels would have had a goal from a Christian Engmann header late in the first half but a Cal defender kept it out of the net as he hugged the post.
 
ABOUT PORTLAND
The Pilots have earned their highest ranking since 2018, when they started unbeaten for their first 13 matches. Portland currently leads the WCC in several categories, including points (78), goals (25), assists (28), scoring offense (2.78) and goal differential (17). Nationally they rank third in goals, fourth in points and assists, fifth in goal differential and ninth in scoring offense. Their 25 goals are the most of any Pilot team through nine games since 1999.

The Pilots have won six out of a possible 10 WCC Player of the Week awards, with CJ Tibbling most recently earning the honor. Stat-wise, the Pilots boast the top three WCC leaders in points this season in Cambridge (14), Sebastian Nava (12) and Tibbling (11).
 
Cambridge and Tibbling lead the conference and rank 19^th nationally in goals with five, Nava ranks fifth nationally and second in the conference in assists with six while Gurman Sangha ranks sixth in points (9) and third in the WCC (14^th nationally) in assists (5). Goalkeeper George Tasouris is second in the WCC in save percentage (.784) as well.