Setting the Scene: The first-place Lutes return to the friendly confines of East Field to open up a five-game homestand. First up is Oregon rival George Fox University.
Series History: Pacific Lutheran and George Fox have met 57 times since the series began in 1991 with the Lutes dominating the series 40-15-4. PLU has never lost the Bruins under Head Coach Seth Spidahl with PLU unbeaten in the last 21 meetings (20-0-1) a streak stretching back to the 2011 campaign.
The Lutes steamrolled the Bruins 8-1 earlier this season back on Sept. 23 in Newberg with Hannah Cecil netting a hat trick and Alyssa Leong tying a school single game record with four assists.
About the Lutes: Pacific Lutheran (10-3-1, 8-2 NWC) split a pair of games in eastern Washington last weekend, a result that still keeps the Lutes in first place in the conference standings.
PLU nipped Whitworth 3-2 last Saturday for the program's seventh consecutive win. Alyssa Leong tallied the eventual game-winner in the 63rd minute while Lily Dose and Julia Causbie also scored in the win to sweep the season series.
The following day, the Lutes outshot the Blues 15-8 but in the end it was Whitman that pulled away with the win, scoring in the 78th minute for a 1-0 victory in Walla Walla, Washington. It snapped PLU's seven game win streak and was the Lutes' second setback to Whitman this fall.
Hannah Cecil ranks 22nd nationally and leads the NWC in goals per game (1.00) while ranking 32nd nationally and 1st in the conference in total goals (12). Abby Winkler ranks 24th in the nation in shutouts with six while ranking first in the NWC in minutes played (1,201) and sitting second in the NWC in save percentage (0.857) and goals against average (0.674).
About the Bruins: George Fox (4-6-4, 2-5-3 NWC) edged Whitman 1-0 back on Oct. 7 but has been winless since, dropping a 1-0 match to Whitworth on Oct. 8, earning a scoreless draw to Linfield on Oct. 14, and falling 2-1 to Pacific last Sunday.
The Bruins have scored 13 goals in 13 games with Becca Kozak the top offensive threat, netting five goals. Willa Evans had three goals and two assists while Hannah Beardemphl and Lucy Brandt both have a pair of scores.
Emily Robey is GFU's primary keeper, logging 1,061 minutes in goal with 35 saves and a 1.53 goals against average.
Home Sweet Home: East Field has been a daunting venue for opposing teams since the 2014 season, winning 23 of the last 26 on the synthetic surface. The Lutes boast a 72-8-7 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.
Women's Soccer Tackling Mental Health
PLU women's soccer student-athletes Julia Causbie and Kayden Hulquist have taken the initiative to raise awareness for mental health, organizing an official chapter of The Hidden Opponent (THO) on campus. Learn more in the above video.
NWC Preseason Coaches' Poll
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. 22 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