The University of Montana Soccer team prepares to face tough opponents, No. 4 University of Portland and University of Washington Friday at 7 p.m. and Sunday at 11 a.m. PT.  The Pilots (9-1-0) are coming off a 1-0 win over No. 22 Oregon State while the Huskies (6-2-1) sported a 1-1 tie with Cal. State Fullerton last weekend.

The University of Portland last met a Montana squad in 1997, when the Grizzly team recorded 16 wins. The Pilots won that meeting 2-0. 

Portland coach Garrett Smith posts an undeniable 125-18-7 record with UP and is in his seventh season coaching the pilots.

One exciting of element of Friday’s match will be the opportunity for the Grizzlies to play in Clive Charles Soccer Complex.  The complex typically hosts over 4,000 fans per match, and celebrates a great soccer tradition, honoring the founder of both men’s and women’s soccer programs, Clive Charles. 

UM coach Neil Sedgwick says “It would be every player’s dream, in every kind of sport, to play on that stage Friday night in Portland.  There will be a huge Portland crowd and it will be an an exciting time for our girls. I know that some of our players are really looking forward for the opportunity. Those from Oregon, specifically the Portland area, will be having a bit of a homecoming, returning to play in that stadium where they probably watched matches in their youth.”    

 Portland has allowed for a single loss this season, dropping a match with No. 13 Texas A&M 3-1.  The Pilots recovered in the proximate match, with a season-high six goals vs. the SMU Mustangs.

Sedgwick doesn’t allow himself to be swept up in the Portland experience, asserting that “With this trip we have a great challenge for our girls. We are going to play two teams that are NCAA tournament teams.  Washington has had a few really strong years.  They are a solid PAC 10 team that is really well coached. We are facing two great challenges in these final non-conference matches.”

Washington leads Montana 6-1 in past match-ups, with the Huskies winning 3-0 in August of 2008.

The Huskies also return 10 starters from last season, giving the Seattle team experience that is hard to match in the Northwest.

An ailing Montana squad, currently 2-7-0, will look to the return of a few injured starters this weekend to help drive an upset.  Sedgwick explains  “With the week off from competition, we were able to get in a little more practice time, and also to get a little more time to heal and prepare for the upcoming challenge.”     

Friday evening live stats (free) will be available at: http://sidearmstats.com/portland/wsoc/?
Live audio (free) will also be available for the Portland match at: http://www.portlandpilots.com/sports/2008/8/18/GEN_0818085512.aspx
Live video by subscription only, can be found at: www.pilotsvideo.com

Sunday’s game at Husky Stadium will be broadcasting live stats as well, through http://www.gohuskies.com/sports/w-soccer/sched/wash-w-soccer-sched.html

Follow the Grizzly soccer team via the team blog at http://www.grizsoccer.wordpress.com.