Pilots End Regular Season With Shutout of LMU

Sophomore Michelle Enyeart also scored a goal and handed out an assist for the Pilots.

Photo courtesy: UP Athletics

PORTLAND, Ore. - Portland senior Emily Michaelson celebrated senior night with her second career goal as the third-ranked Pilots shutout the Loyola Marymount Lions 2-0 on Saturday night at Merlo Field at the Clive Charles Soccer Complex.

It’s the eighth straight win and the sixth straight shutout for Portland, which wrapped up its ninth West Coast Conference title with a win at Pepperdine last weekend.

Sophomore Michelle Enyeart also scored a goal and handed out an assist for the Pilots.

The Pilots (15-3-0, 7-0-0 WCC) outshot the Lions 32-4 (12-6-1, 4-3-1 WCC) on the night.

“With 34 shots, we’re brining an urgency to score goals to the post season,” UP head coach Garrett Smith said. “We wanted a shutout heading into the playoffs and we got it. It was a great night and great finish to the regular season.”

With the game scoreless 20 minutes in, redshirt-freshman Sophie Schmidt fed Enyeart with a through ball into the LMU 18-yard box.

Enyeart gained possession in open space before ripping a shot just inside the right post to make it 1-nil in Portland’s favor. It’s Enyeart’s eighth goal of the season and what proved to be her third game-winner.

The Pilots continued to attack the LMU goal, finally capitalizing in the 62nd minute.

A corner kick by Portland’s Stephanie Lopez from the left corner made it all the way through the box, ending up at the feet of Enyeart.

Enyeart sent a cross into the mixer where the 5-foot-11 Michaelson outjumped the LMU defense and buried a header into the right sight of the net. Enyeart picked up her conference-leading 12th assist on the season.

The 2-0 lead would hold as UP freshman keeper Hailee DeYoung made two saves for her third shutout of her collegiate career.

LMU goalie Joslyn Slovek made nine saves on the night.

It was the final regular season appearance at Merlo Field for Portland’s six seniors. Michaelson, Lopez, Natalie Budge, Kelli Cronkrite, Michele Scifo and Angie Woznuk were honored before the game.

Portland earned the WCC’s automatic bid into the NCAA playoffs by winning the conference crown. The Pilots will learn their post-season fate on Monday with a selection show on ESPNews, scheduled for 5:00 p.m.

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