By Elliot Boswell
The women's soccer team saw some familiar faces at Merlo Field last Saturday, this time on the other side of the ball.
The Pilots battled to a draw against a team of University Alumni last Sunday in a match that boasted four M.A.C./Hermann Trophy finalists and six All-Americans.
Playing in some of the hardest rain the campus has seen this spring, the Alumni jumped out to an early lead behind a first-half goal from '06 graduate and two-time Hermann Trophy winner Christine Sinclair.
Junior Rachael Rapinoe answered for the Pilots just eight minutes later with a strike past '00 Alumni keeper Angela Harrison.
In second-half action, Sinclair threatened again, but her potential goal was averted by a spectacular save on the part of current U.S. national team member, junior Stephanie Lopez.
Despite the star power on both sides of the ball and several good scoring opportunities for both teams, neither squad was able to find the back of the net again and the match ended in a one-all draw.
"Most people think of alumni games as somewhat of a playful event," Rachael Rapinoe said. "But since our alumni are so good and serious competitors, we have no choice but to 'bring it' for 90 minutes. The game was definitely competitive."
The match featured 19 former Pilots, including Canadian national team member Sinclair, '95 graduate and international star Tiffeny Milbrett, and '07 graduates Cori Alexander, Kari Evans, Elsa Hume and Lisa Sari.
Rapinoe admitted to some intimidation at the prospect of facing such a stacked lineup, especially as the team had not played together since the quarterfinals of the 2006 NCAA tournament in November.
"It can be intimidating to go up against some of the older, more established players, but luckily we're all familiar with their playing styles," Rapinoe said. "Overall, I thought it was a good performance to start spring season."
The alumni game is an event that occurs twice a year: in the fall for the men's team and in the spring for the women's.
Rather than being solely a scrimmage, the event includes a dinner in which current UP players get to meet alumni, an opportunity to help promote camaraderie amongst the players, according to Sports Information Director Jason Brough.
"It helps keep the UP family intact," Brough said.
Brough added that while the event has been more heavily promoted in the past, this year's date coincided with the Hawaiian Luau being held in the Chiles Center, resulting in a low turnout for the match itself. Despite this, about 100 fans were in attendance.
Pilots accomplishments during the off-season included the selection of graduating senior biology major Kari Evans for one of 174 NCAA postgraduate scholarships.
The scholarships are given out as a $7,500 non-renewable grant and go to college athletes who are in their final year.
Evans' name appeared on the Dean's List in six of her seven semesters on The Bluff. She has appeared in 77 career games, with 69 starts ,and has earned WCC academic recognition twice.
Pilots fans will get to see the team play next when they take on Sinclair and the Canadian national squad at Merlo Field on Friday, April 20.
Sinclair, who was named the Collegiate Woman Athlete of the Year in 2005-06, was a three-time National Player of the Year during her time as a Pilot.
This exhibition game will be exciting for more than just the game; the Pilots will be wearing and unveiling their new uniforms, featuring the revised University of Portland logo.
The uniforms have been designed by Nike and have been a tightly kept secret here on campus. The game on April 20 will feature free t-shirt giveaways and a painted field, resplendent with the new logo.
"We wanted to make sort of a grand entrance. We've gone back and forth on all kinds of ways, it's a really exciting moment for the whole campus; I think we'll get some good press out of it," Tricia Miller, athletic department marketing director said.
