2002 U of Portland Women’s Soccer National Champions

ALWAYS A PROGRAM OF EXCELLENCE, THE UNIVERSITY OF PORTLAND WOMEN’S SOCCER TEAM WON IT’S FIRST EVER NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP IN DECEMBER 2002. SINCE CLIVE CHARLES TOOK OVER THE PROGRAM IN 1989, THE PILOTS HAD WON 6 WEST COAST CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIPS; ADVANCED TO THE POST-SEASON 10 TIMES AND THE COLLEGE CUP FINAL FOUR SIX TIMES. YET A NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP REMAINED ELUSIVE.

THE DIFFERENCE IN 2002 WAS CHRISTINE SINCLAIR. THE YOUNG CANADIAN HAD JUST WON NATIONAL FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR HONORS.
WITHOUT SINCLAIR IN THE LINEUP, THE 2002 PILOTS STARTED 0-2. WITH SINCLAIR THE LINEUP CAME TOGETHER. CHRISTINE LED THE NATION WITH 26 GOALS. EMILY PATTERSON, LINDSEY HUIE AND ERIN MISAKI SHARED THE ASISST LOAD. IMANI DORSEY AND LAUREN ORLANDOS WERE DEFENSIVE ANCHORS AND GOAL KEEPER LAUREN ARASE (uh-rah-SEE) ALLOWED ONLY 8 GOALS WHILE MAKING 51 SAVES IN 21 MATCHES.

PORTLAND WAS IMPRESSIVE IN AN EARLY SEASON SCORELESS DRAW WITH POWERHOUSE NORTH CAROLINA, BUT THE QUESTION REMAINED, DID THIS PILOT TEAM HAVE THE RIGHT STUFF TO WIN THE CUP. U-P FINISHED 3RD IN THE W-C-C, LOSING TO PEPPERDINE AND SANTA CLARA.

POST-SEASON BROUGHT OUT THE BEST IN THIS PILOT SIDE. PORTLAND DID NOT GIVE UP A GOAL IN FIVE STRAIGHT VICTORIES
A DRAMATIC SHOOTOUT VICTORY AT STANFORD PUNCHED THE PILOTS TICKET TO AUSTIN, TEXAS, AND THE COLLEGE CUP. SINCLAIR SCORED IN THE 3RD MINUTE OF THE SEMIFINAL WITH PENN STATE, A 2-0 WIN.

IN THE FINAL, SINCLAIR TOOK CENTER STAGE IN THE REMATCH WITH SANTA CLARA. TRAILING 1-NIL IN THE 61ST MINUTE, CHRISTINE EVENED THE SCORE UNASSISTED. THEN SINCLAIR TALLIED THE GAME WINNER IN THE 104TH MINUTE, DEEP IN THE SECOND OVERTIME.

THE PILOTS HAD BROKEN THROUGH AND GAVE CLIVE CHARLES HIS MUCH-DESERVED NATIONAL TITLE, JUST ONE YEAR BEFORE HIS UNTIMELY PASSING. THE FINAL RECORD 19-4-3 with 17 CLEAN SHEETS. CHRISTINE SINCLAIR WON THREE DIFFERENT NATIONAL PLAYER-OF-THE-YEAR HONORS.

CLIVE CHARLES HAD COACHED THIS TEAM FROM THE BEGINNING TO “PLAY THE RIGHT WAY”. THE PILOTS DID JUST THAT AND WON A CHAMPIONSHIP.

WELCOME THE 2002 UNIVERSITY OF PORTLAND PILOTS TO THE OREGON SPORTS HALL OF FAME.

Head Coach: Clive Charles, Assistant Coaches: Bill Irwin, Garrett Smith, Nyla Stuckey, Wynne McIntosh, and Trevor Warren.
2002 Roster – Cristin Shea, Betsy Barr, Imani Dorsey, Rebekah Patrick, Kristen Moore, Erin Misaki, Kristen Rogers, Wanda Rozwadowska, Emily Patterson, Christine Sinclair, Kelsy Hollenbeck, Lauren Orlandos, Jennifer Bosa, Valerie Fletcher, Lindsey Huie, Lauren Arase, Jessica Heller, Colleen Salisbury, and Kim Head.