Setting the Scene: The eight-time defending Northwest Conference Champion Pacific Lutheran University women's soccer team is returns home sitting in a three-way tie for first place as they host Pacific University on the new turf at East Field.
Series History: The Lutes have won the last 16 meetings between the NWC rivals and enjoy a 53-16-10 edge in the all-time series dating back to the 1981 campaign. PLU secured a 2-0 victory in Forest Grove last season on Oct. 6 before pulling out a 2-1 victory on East Field on Nov. 2.
Pacific Lutheran has outscored the Boxers 49-4 over the last 16 meetings, dating back to the 2016 campaign.
About the Lutes: Pacific Lutheran (3-2-3, 3-0-1 NWC) returns home in first place in the conference standings and riding a four-game unbeaten streak. The Lutes took care of business in the NWC opening weekend two weeks ago, securing a 1-0 win over George Fox University before shutting out Lewis & Clark College 2-0 the following day.
The Lutes rallied from an early deficit to score a 1-1 draw against rival University of Puget Sound last Wednesday before ripping off a 3-0 road win over Willamette University last Sunday. Marie Piho tallied her first goal in the Bearcat win, securing the game-winner in the 40th minute before getting instance scores from both Liv Olson and Ally Tattar.
Liv Olson leads the team in both goals (three) and points (six) while Kiana Gutierrez is tied with Olson in points with two goals and two assists in 2025. Olivia Boehm has been the assists leader with three so far this season. As a group, nine different players have registered a point this season.
Abby Winkler has played all but seven minutes this fall, boasting a 0.63 goals against average and having made 42 saves this season. The senior currently sits five saves shy of becoming just the seventh Lute in school history to eclipse 200 career saves.
About the Boxers: Pacific (2-3-3, 1-1-3 NWC) heads into the weekend riding a four match unbeaten run that includes three ties. The Boxers opened league play back on Sept. 12, falling 3-0 to Linfield University before running off three straight ties against George Fox University (0-0), Whitman College (1-1), and Whitworth University (0-0).
Pacific earned its first win of the league slate on Sunday, getting a goal in each half in a 2-1 triumph over host Lewis & Clark College.
Gwendolyn Saing is the Boxers' top goalscorer, netting three goals through the opening eight games while Mirella Garcia is second on the team in points with one goal and two assists. Taite Taniguchi is tied for the team lead in assists with two in 2025.
The Boxers have rotated between Jaelynn Moo and Kylie Pascual in goal, both having played in 360 of the team's 720 minutes this fall. Moo leads the team with a 0.50 goals against average with 10 saves while Pascual has a team-best 17 saves and a 2.00 GAA.
Home Sweet Home
The Lutes have been nearly unstoppable at home since the 2013 season, enjoying an 91-10-13 record in home games on the artificial turf at East Field. That includes going 7-0-3 last fall and having 10-0 records at home during both the 2021 and 2017 campaigns.
NWC Coaches' Poll
This August, the Lutes were picked to defend their crown according to the annual NWC Coaches' Poll. PLU earned 64 points in the poll, owning a 10-point edge on crosstown nemesis and second ranked Puget Sound.
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. 5 vs. Linfield 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