A goal from a defender and a lot of tough defending has the Portland Pilots headed to the quarterfinals of the NCAA Division I Men's Soccer Tournament.
Centerback Delentz Pierre scored the goal in the 59th minute with a header from a corner kick and Portland beat Western Michigan 1-0 on Saturday, Nov. 26, at Merlo Field.
The Pilots (15-2-3) will play either Pittsburgh or No. 1 Kentucky in next weekend's quarterfinal round. Pitt and Kentucky play on Sunday.
Saturday's third-round match was tense and entertaining, the difference ultimately being Pierre's second goal of the season.
Pierre was able to loft a second-ball header into the open goal after Western Michigan goalkeeper Hunter Morse punched the initial corner kick into the air with his right hand. Morse stumbled among teammates after the punch and Pierre was first to the ball — even as teammate Brandon Cambridge was preparing to attempt a bicycle kick.
Portland is 10-0-1 at Merlo Field this season.
After the Pierre goal, the Broncos stepped up their intensity and had a lot of possession, but couldn't find the tying goal.
Pilots goalkeeper George Tasouris was credited with three saves. The most challenging of those came with about four minutes left when he parried away a swerving shot and teammate Jake Arteaga cleared the ball before any Bronco attackers could react.
Portland coach Nick Carlin-Voigt noted that the Pilots battled some illness as well as an intense, physical opponent.
"You could just see a bunch of guys really committed to each other and it was a night where we weren't going to be denied," Carlin-Voigt said.
The match featured two distinct styles. Western Michigan had the taller lineup and looked for opportunities from crosses and balls over the top. But Portland handled that part of the match well for most of the 90 minutes.
Portland was most dangerous in counterattack situations. But the decisive corner kick was earned by a strong individual play by forward Jacob Babalai. The West Linn native picked up the ball deep on the left attacking wing, dribbled back up to the top corner of the 18-yard box, then changed direction to create a scoring chance. Morse managed to block Babalai's attempt to score at the near post, but the resulting corner kick produced the only goal of the evening.
Portland put eight of its nine shots on target.
The Pilots had an opportunity to jump ahead early when Kevin Bonilla drew a foul in the 18-yard box. But Morse denied the penalty kick attempt from Brandon Cambridge, diving down to the keeper's left to knock away the shot.
"Unfortunately, we missed a penalty kick but some teams can let that define the moment," Carlin-Voigt said. "We didn't. We just grew stronger and came on the second half even better and brighter."
Western Michigan took 11 shots, but only three were on target. That is evidence of Portland's solid work in the box, including a recovery clearance in the 23rd minute by Arteaga that denied Broncos midfielder Charlie Sharp what would have been a point-blank chance.
The visitors also were unlucky in the 67th minute when a flick header found Daniel Nimick. The defender's first-time chance from eight yards away spun just wide.
Portland had several chances to add a second goal but Morse made saves to deny Nick Denley in the 76th minute and Sebastian Nava in the 86th minute.
But one goal was enough for the Pilots to win their third match of this NCAA Tournament and become one of the last eight teams standing.
Carlin-Voigt highlighted multiple individual performances, including outside backs Bonilla and Denley defending much bigger players and Greg Tracey and Nava putting out fires in in midfield.
This is Portland's first trip to the national quarterfinals since 1995. The Pilots' 15 wins and 51 goals also are the most for the program since 1995, and their 10 shutouts are the most since 1990.
Carlin-Voigt noted this season is the result of six years of building and development.
"They seized the moment and I couldn't be more proud to be their coach and I couldn't be more proud of the coaching staff and all the work these guys have done," Carlin-Voigt said.