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EVANSVILLE, Ind. – The University of Evansville men's soccer team is headed to the Pacific Northwest to open its 2014 regular season, as the Purple Aces will travel to Corvallis, Ore., and Portland, Ore., for a pair of matches in the Nike Portland Invitational.  UE opens the event with a 9:30 p.m. match Friday night at Oregon State, before playing at Portland Sunday at 3 p.m.
 
Evansville finished its non-conference schedule with a 2-1-0 record, after posting shutouts over Bellarmine and Indianapolis, and suffering a setback to Cincinnati.  Five different players found the back of the net for the Aces in their three preseason matches, including 2013 NSCAA/Continental Tire All-Midwest Region selection Mark Anthony Gonzalez.  In addition, TopDrawerSoccer Preason All-American and MAC Hermann Trophy Watch list selection Faik Hajderovic attempted a team-high six shots in the preseason and recorded an assist against the Greyhounds in Evansville's non-conference finale.
 
Evansville returns 21 letterwinners and all 11 starters from last year's squad that finished 10-8-1 and posted wins over a pair of nationally-ranked opponents.  The Aces were one of the nation's top scoring teams in 2013, racking up 112 points on 34 goals and 44 assists.  Hajderovic led the nation with his 14 assists and recorded a team-high 20 points last season, while Gonzalez found the back of the net nine times, including five game-winners, for 18 points.  In addition, senior Dylan Terry accumulated 17 points on six goals and five assists.
 
In goal, Eric Teppen enters the season needing just 21 saves to become Evansville's all-time saves leader and will have an experienced back line in front of him that will include three-year starter and team captain Patrick Hodges.  Teppen registered a 1.51 goals against average, .748 save percentage, 89 saves and three shutouts last season and Hodges started all19 games as the Aces' central defender, finishing the year with five points on a pair of goals and an assist.
 
Oregon State returns nine letterwinners and six starters from its 2013 team that finished 7-10-3, including forward Khiry Shelton, who led the Beavers with nine points (4 G, 1 A) last season.  Goalkeeper Matt Bersano also returns following a season in which he set the OSU single-season record with 101 saves and posted a 1.14 goals against average.
 
Portland defeated Linfield, 4-0, in its lone exhibition match and brings back 15 letterwinners and seven starters from a team that finished 9-11-0 last year.  The Pilots return leading scorer Eddie Sanchez, who racked up 27 points on 12 goals and three assists to earn All-West Coast Conference First Team honors in 2013 and All-WCC Second Team selection in midfielder Matthew Coffey, who finished last season with two goals and three assists for seven points.  However, Portland will be without both Justin Baarts and Justin Dodson, who combined to play all 1835 minutes in goal.
 
Friday will mark the first ever meeting between Oregon State and Evansville, while Sunday will be the seventh meeting between the Aces and Portland.  The Pilots have won five of the previous six meetings, including the last meeting in 2010, where Portland topped UE, 2-1, in Portland.