Setting the Scene: The Northwest Conference Champion Lutes wrapped up the league title on Sunday and look to put their eight game win streak and 15-game unbeaten run on the line tonight against crosstown nemesis Puget Sound.
Series History: The Lutes and Loggers have battled 79 times on the pitch since the 1980 season with Puget Sound holding a slim 40-32-7 advantage in the all-time series.
PLU has won the last three meetings by a combined 11-2 scoreline. That includes a 6-2 victory back on Oct. 4. That game was tied 2-2 at the halftime break before the Lutes pulled away in the second half. Craig Johnson and Robby Guyer both had a pair of goals while Brandt Kelly and Trevor Thompson also found the back of the net.
About the Lutes: 14th-ranked and NWC Champion Pacific Lutheran (13-1-4, 12-0-2 NWC) has been on a tear, outscoring its last eight opponents by a combined 37-5 scoreline. That includes a 6-0 victory over Pacific on Saturday and a 5-0 shutout of Lewis & Clark on Sunday to clinch the program's fifth NWC crown over the past six full seasons.
Alex Coope opened the floodgates on Saturday, scoring in the 21st minute before getting two goals from Trevor Thompson along with scores from Dane Helle, Craig Johnson, and Owen Bliskis.
On Sunday, the Lutes didn't let the Pioneers take a single shot in the blowout win. Thompson needed just over six minutes to open the scoring before getting goals from Johnson, Alex White, Sammy Tafolla, and Connor O'Brien.
The high-octane Lutes rank second nationally in points per game (10.67), total goals (69), and total points (192) while sitting third in D3 in assists per game (3.0), goal differential (+55), and scoring offense (3.83).
Craig Johnson sits sixth nationally in total points (48) and seventh in both total goals (19) and total assists (10). Johnson set the school single season points record and is now two goals shy of tying the single season scoring record. Johnson additionally sits 13 points shy of setting the school record for points held by Eddie Na (120 from 2014-2017).
All-Star Attaways: Alex White was named the NWC Defensive Player of the Week on Monday for his role in the dual shutouts over the weekend. It's the third time this fall the Nevada native has won the award. White and the rest of the defense have now gone 429 minutes without allowing a goal.
It's the fourth consecutive week and fifth time this fall the Lutes have won NWC Defensive Player of the Week. Cole Dobson secured the award last week with Alex White securing the honor on Oct. 9 & 16 and Alvin Kamau earning the accolade on Sept. 18.
About the Loggers: Puget Sound (8-3-5, 6-3-5 NWC) fell 6-2 to PLU back on Oct. 4 but has been unbeaten since (4-0-3). The Loggers' recent run includes victories over Linfield (1-0), Willamette (3-1), Lewis & Clark (3-1), and Pacific (2-1).
Last weekend the Loggers battled to a scoreless draw against George Fox on Saturday. It's a contest that saw the Bruins own a 7-2 edge on shots on goal but Ryan Saunders had a big day in goal to collect the clean sheet. The following day, the Loggers scored twice in the opening 11 minutes if the second half for a 2-1 win over Pacific.
Graham Hall leads the Loggers in points with 17 on the year (six goals, five assists) while Marko Babiak is the leading scorer with seven on the year. Etienne Polar and Rhys Foote have both scored five goals this fall.
Ryan Saunders is the Loggers' main keeper, logging 1,170 minutes with 62 saves and a 1.46 goals against average.
Home Cooking: East Field has been a daunting place for opponents to play since the 2015 season with the Lutes holding a 57-15-7 advantage in games played on campus. That includes a 30-7-3 mark over the past three seasons. Last fall the Lutes were 10-1 on the home turf.
1 Weekend. 3 Championships.
Check out all the celebration highlights below as PLU volleyball, women's soccer, and men's soccer all clinched league titles over the weekend on Senior Day.
NWC Preseason Coaches' Poll
Summer Lutes
PLU men's soccer student-athlete Elijah Singleton had a busy summer serving as an intern in a lab at the Fred Hutch Cancer Center. Learn more about his daily routine in the video below.
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 Match:
Nov. 4 vs. Willamette at 1:30 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