[PORTLAND WOMEN] Since winning its second national title in 2005, it's been the same old story for Portland. All four years the Pilots have reached the quarterfinals, and all four years they've lost. This year could be different as they return forward Danielle Foxhoven, who led the nation in points per game, and the country's best midfield.

“Our goal every season is to win a national championship,” Smith said. “We need to take care of business during the regular season and give ourselves the best chance of hosting playoff matches all the way up to the College Cup.”

Portland, which has led the nation in average attendance five consecutive years, faces one of its toughest schedules, including a road matchup with preseason No. 1 Stanford.

The Pilots will have a chance for revenge when they host Texas A&M, the only team to beat the them during the 2009 regular season.

Foxhoven, who finished the year with 25 goals and 12 assists for an average of 2.82 points a game, will be supported by a midfield that features Canadian national team veteran Sophie Schmidt, former USA U-20 national team captain Keelin Winters, Kendra Chandhoke, who had a great junior season in 2009 as a wide midfielder, and Kendall Johnson, the WCC Freshman of the Year.

The only question marks are in goal where redshirt junior Hailee DeYoung, the lone goalkeeper on the roster with collegiate experience, is competing with freshmen Erin Dees and Nichole Downing and at center back where highly rated Cloee Colohan is coming off a season-ending injury that limited her to five games as a freshman.

Other freshmen to watch include midfielders Michelle Cruz and Ellen Parker and forward Amanda Frisbie.

SCHEDULE:
Aug. 20 vs. Portland State 7:00 p.m. PT
Aug. 22 at Cal State 7:00 p.m. PT
Aug. 27 vs. SMU  7:00 p.m. PT
Aug. 29 vs. Oklahoma State 12:00 p.m. PT
Husky/Nike Invitational
Sept. 3 vs. Wisconsin  4:30 p.m. PT
Sept. 5 vs. Syracuse 11:00 a.m. PT
Nike Portland Invitational
Sept. 10 vs. Rutgers 7:00 p.m. PT
Sept. 12 vs. Penn State 2:30 p.m. PT
Sept. 17 vs. Texas A&M  7:00 p.m. PT
Sept. 23 at California  3:00 p.m. PT
Sept. 25 at Stanford 7:00 p.m. PT
Oct. 1 vs. Oregon 7:00 p.m. PT
Oct. 3  vs. Washington 12:00 p.m. PT
Oct. 10 *at Gonzaga 1:00 p.m. PT
Oct. 15 vs. *Loyola Marymount  7:30 p.m. PT
Oct. 17 vs. *Pepperdine 12:00 p.m. PT
Oct. 22 *at San Diego  8:00 p.m. PT
Oct. 24 *at Santa Clara 12:00 p.m. PT
Oct. 31 vs. *San Francisco  1:00 p.m. PT
Nov. 6 vs. *Saint Mary's 12:00 p.m. PT
*WCC game.