Setting the Scene: The Lutes finish off their opening homestand today, welcoming in-state rival Whitman to East Field.
Series History: Pacific Lutheran and Whitman have met 78 times since the 1981 season with the Lutes holding a commanding 54-17-7 edge in the all-time series. PLU has dominated as of late, winning 11 of the last 12 meetings. That includes a 2-0 victory last fall on East Field and a 4-2 win in Walla Walla.
About the Lutes: Pacific Lutheran (2-1-1) heads into league play after splitting a pair of games last weekend against two nationally-ranked opponents in Virginia.
The Lutes got a goal and an assist from both Alyssa Leong and Kayden Hulquist in a 2-0 win over fourth-ranked Virginia Wesleyan University on Friday before coming up short 2-0 against host and sixth-ranked Christopher Newport University.
Leong netted the eventual game-winner against the Marlins in the 53rd minute off a pass from Hulquist before the roles were reversed just 11 minutes later with Hulquist adding an insurance goal on a rebounded shot from Leong.
Abby Winkler had a big day in goal, earning her second shutout of the season by making eight saves.
PLU's shutout streak was snapped at 292 minutes with Christopher Newport scoring in the 23rd minute on Saturday. The Captains added another in the 58th minute to give PLU it's first blemish of the season.
On Monday, Leong was honored as the NWC Offensive Player of the Week while Winkler was tabbed NWC Defensive Player of the Week for the second consecutive week.
About the Blues: Whitman (1-1-2) hits the road for the first time this season after playing its opening four games in Walla Walla. The Blues opened the year with a bang on Sept. 1, with Gracia Larson scoring 38 seconds into the season opener as Whitman rolled to a 1-0 win over Howard Payne (Texas).
Whitman tied Luther (Iowa) 1-1 the following day before securing a scoreless draw with California-Santa Cruz last Saturday. The Blues suffered their first setback of the fall last Sunday, surrendering a late goal in a 2-1 loss to Corban (Oregon).
Two of Whitman's three goals have come off the boot of Gracia Larson with Maggie Haller collecting the team's only other goal. Chaney Heinbaugh has the team's lone assist of the year.
Hannah Hagler has logged the most minutes in goal, making nine saves in 180 minutes of work. Five total keepers have seen action this season, combining for a 0.75 goals against average.
Home Sweet Home: East Field has been a daunting venue for opposing teams since the 2014 season, winning 21 of the last 23 on the synthetic surface. The Lutes boast a 70-7-7 record on the artificial turf over the past nine seasons. That includes a 10-0 record in 2021 and a 8-1-1 mark at home last fall.
NWC Preseason Coaches' Poll
5th Year Lutes
Trailblazing NIL the D3 Way: PLU Athletics continues to lead the way nationally in Name, Image, and Likeness, unveiling the Luteville Marketplace last fall through the department's partnership with Opendorse. But don't stay on the sidelines, get involved and connect with PLU student-athletes on the Luteville Marketplace: LINK
The Luteville Marketplace is the first dedicated NIL marketplace in Division III on the Opendorse platform that directly connects student-athletes with fans, supporters, and business partners in an easy to use website.
Stay connected to your favorite teams by downloading the official mobile app of the Pacific Lutheran University athletic department powered by SIDEARM Sports, available in the Apple App Store and on Google Play.
Featuring real-time news alerts, schedules, exclusive multimedia content, gameday details and more, the new PLU Athletics app is free and compatible with both iOS and Android devices.
Next Home Match:
Oct. 8 vs. Willamette at 12 p.m.
PLU Non-Discrimination Policy: Pacific Lutheran University does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, disability or age in its programs and activities. The following person has been designated to handle inquiries regarding non-discrimination policies: Title IX Coordinator Jennifer Childress-White; 253-535-7361; TitleIX@plu.edu