Pilot Women Have Holes to Fill, but No Lack of Talent Page 1 of 2

Pilot women have holes to fill, but no lack of talent Page 1 of 2

Pilot women have holes to fill, but no lack of talent Season starts with a bang – UO, UCLA and USC, all at Merlo Field BY VICTORIA NGUYEN The Portland Tribune, Aug 12, 2008

The University of Portland women’s soccer team kicked off training camp on Aug. 7, marking the return of five senior starters and strikers Megan and Rachael Rapinoe. The Rapinoes, who sustained season-ending knee injuries in 2007, are back for one last shot at a national title as seniors. “It’s an interesting part of the season,” coach Garrett Smith says. “We haven’t played together since last April, and I think it’s an exciting time for everyone. No matter how you look at it, we’re tied for first or tied for last.” Among the Pilots’ six graduates were defenders Stephanie Cox, Kelli Cronkrite, Michele Scifo and Emily Michaelson and midfielders Angie Woznuk and Natalie WILL CREW Budge. Michelle Eneyart, hurdling a Yale player in a 1-0 victory last season, is one of the Portland Pilots' top returnees. Coach Garrett Smith says she may have to “You don’t replace a Stephanie or Angie,” Smith says. leave the team in November, however, to play for the “You just try to find the right pieces that go together for the U.S. in the under-20 World Cup. next team and see how the they fit together.” Key players this year for UP include sophomore midfielder Sophie Schmidt, who is in Beijing, representing Canada in the Olympics; forward Michelle Enyeart, who led the West Coast Conference in scoring and assists last season; WCC freshman of the year Keelin Winters in midfield; and junior Kendra Chandhoke at midfield/forward. Two defenders, sophomore Megan Sweeney and junior Korie Nicholson, also are returning from medical redshirt seasons. Junior Kelsey Davis, who started 17 games last season, and sophomore Hailee DeYoung are back in front of the net. And the Pilots boast a highly ranked recruiting class of players from across the country. “Throughout the last eight years, our freshman class just keeps getting better,” Smith says. “It sounds like a big cliché … but I think each year we just see two, if not three, if not four freshman finding a way into our starting lineup.” Three Pilots – Winters, Enyeart, and Elli Reed – also compete for the U.S. under-20 national team, and could miss the NCAA playoffs, leaving their 2008 status a bit up in the air. “Unless something happens with them, they’ll be leaving during the month of November to go play for the U-20 World Cup,” Smith says. “Michelle is definitely going play (this season). We’re definitely going to work out what happens with Keelin and Elli.” The Pilots begin preseason play on Aug. 23 against the University of Oregon in a three-game homestand. Portland will face the UCLA– which eliminated the Pilots in the last two NCAA quarterfinals– on Aug. 30. National champion Southern Cal visits Portland on Sept. 1. The highly anticipated match-up with the Bruins should create plenty of soccer fever at Merlo Field.

http://www.portlandtribune.com/sports/print_story.php?story_id=121856878653546300 8/12/2008 Pilot women have holes to fill, but no lack of talent Page 2 of 2

Smith says. “We just take it one game at a time.” The Pilots have set three consecutive national records for average home attendance, averaging 3,771 fans per game in 2007. “It doesn’t matter who you’re playing at Merlo, it’s always going to be a special game,” Smith says. “Our fans here are different than anywhere else in the country. You just get a different atmosphere.” Other preseason games include visits to Rutgers and Penn State. The Pilots last faced the Nittany Lions in the NCAA semifinals in 2005. UP advanced to the final on penalty kicks, 4-3. On Nov. 2, the Pilots will host WCC rival Santa Clara to close out conference play at home. With less than three weeks until the season opener, Smith says a win over UCLA is important – but not vital – to the team’s postseason success. “We can’t do anything about last year, and that will help get us to an ultimate goal,” he says. “We know we can’t win a national championship at the start of the season and we can’t lose a national championship at the start of the season.”

http://www.portlandtribune.com/sports/print_story.php?story_id=121856878653546300 8/12/2008