September 14, 2007

It's a 'new season' for Pilots
Surprising loss to Purdue prompts Portland to reassess how it plays the game

BOAZ HERZOG
The Oregonian Staff

Tonight's matchup with Kansas at Merlo Field marks the first game of a "new season" for the University of Portland women's soccer team.

Pilots coach Garrett Smith told his team to consider this week a fresh start to the season following a 1-0 loss Sunday to unranked Purdue in Seattle. The loss knocked Portland (3-1-0) from its perch atop the national rankings down to No. 4, behind Stanford, North Carolina and Santa Clara.

The Pilots outscored opponents 8-3 through their first three victories. But the team simply came out flat against Purdue, a team the Pilots should beat eight out of 10 times, Smith said.

"I don't think we perform necessarily well at the beginning of seasons," he said. "We had a loss. Now we start a new season."

Senior defender Emily Michaelson said uninspiring performances such as the one Sunday "just happen sometimes."

"Hopefully, once you have one of those days you learn from it and we don't come out like that anymore," she said.

The team learned that it must win more punts and goal kicks, go into tackles harder and play more aggressive, Michaelson said.

Another plus for the Pilots: Junior All-American midfielder Megan Rapinoe returned to play last weekend for the first time since she suffered a season-ending knee injury last October. She logged 13 minutes off the bench in Portland's 2-1 victory last Friday over Cal State Fullerton, then played the final 34 minutes of regulation Sunday against Purdue.

Rapinoe appeared rusty but will gradually play more minutes each game, Smith said.

"She's not gonna come back in her first 10 games and score 14 goals like she did last year," he said. "The game is slowly coming back to her."