The Portland Pilots are once again making noise on the national women’s college soccer scene. One of the reasons is a very young one. The Pilots are 6-0 on the young season and one big reason is the surprising play of freshman forward Micaela Capelle.

The 5-foot-4, Gresham, Oregon, native hasn’t started any games for Portland this year, however she still leads the team in scoring and points, with four goals scored in the six games, all of them coming as a substitute.

“The first time I came in off the bench I was nervous and scared, but very excited,” said Capelle. “It has been an awesome experience scoring for Portland, and the team and fans have been very supportive.”

It takes a lot of courage to be able to step up from the bench and perform successfully, however Capelle attributes some of her success to her teammates.

“A big part of this success is the help of the upperclassmen helping me push on the field,” explains Cappelle. “Learning from them has helped me become a better player.”

The significance of Capelle’s contribution has been more than expected, as three of her goals have been game winners against strong opposition. Her role so far, given by Portland head coach Garret Smith, has been as a go-to player.

“We’ve been having a hard time scoring in the first half and I feel Coach Smith is expecting me to score or to create something for everybody else to score,” says Capelle. “It is sometimes a lot of pressure, but I just want to do the best I can.”
 
Her scoring isn’t luck either. Her accuracy is worth noting, making her second on the team in shots on goal, as 8 of her 12 tries have been on frame. With an accuracy of over 61%, she can easily be one of the most lethal strikers in the country. yet her mind is always concentrated on team success.

“We have been trying to stay undefeated, and we have so far,” says Capella. “We are trying to do as well as we can, and go as far as we can, but obviously the national championship is always in the back of our minds.”