University of Portland Pilots take national title in women's soccer

Published: 2005-12-27

PORTLAND, Ore. (CNS) -- At Holy Cross Parish, near the University of Portland, a Saturday night Mass in early December drew a crowd much larger than usual. That's because Sunday morning was game time. "I see there are plenty of Pilots fans here," said Father Dave Gutmann, welcoming those who had shifted worship times to be able to watch the Pilots, the university's women's soccer team, vie for their second National Collegiate Athletic Association title Dec. 4. The Pilots, representing a small Catholic university in a Portland working-class neighborhood, used crisp passing, misdirection and the width of the field in College Station, Texas, to win 4-0 over UCLA, a school with more than 10 times the enrollment. Pilot senior striker Christine Sinclair, who comes from Burnaby, British Columbia, scored twice, giving her 39 goals this season for a new NCAA single-season record. Sophomore midfielder Angie Woznuk added a goal and two assists and freshman forward Megan Rapinoe also scored and recorded an assist.

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