Setting the Scene: The two-time reigning Northwest Conference Champion Lutes return home riding a six-game win streak and control their own destiny with two games remaining in the regular season. The final weekend of the regular season begins today with PLU welcoming in-state rival Whitworth University to East Field.
Series History: The Lutes and Pirates have met 79 times on the pitch with Pacific Lutheran owning a 37-32-10 advantage in the series. The two teams last met on Oct. 12 in Spokane, battling to a 1-1 stalemate. Landon Sexton tallied the Lutes goal in the 23rd minute only for Whitworth to equalize in the 80th minute off a shot from Lucas Diaz.
About the Lutes: Pacific Lutheran (12-3-3, 11-0-3 NWC) is red hot, having won six straight games and riding a 15-game unbeaten run (12-0-3). Owen Bliskis has been a big part of the Lutes' recent run of success, having scored goals in each of the last six games.
PLU earned 1-1 ties against eastern Washington foes Whitman and Whitworth back on Oct. 11 & 12 and have been unstoppable since. That includes a 3-1 win over Lewis & Clark, a 5-1 victory over George Fox, a 5-2 decision over Puget Sound, and a 3-2 win over Willamette.
Last weekend the Lutes downed Linfield 3-1, getting two goals from Bliskis and another from Ty Brunner before a 2-1 victory last Sunday at Pacific.
Owen Bliskis has been on a tear this season and leads the NWC in scoring with 13 goals in just 17 games. That includes three game winning goals. Bliskis additionally ranks second in the league in points with 27. Ty Brunner adds eight goals while Connor O'Brien has six and a conference-best 11 assists. Yuta Shimazu adds six goals and six assists while Misha Turchaninov has five goals.
It's been a rotating cast of players in goal this fall for the Lutes with all three keepers doing outstanding work and have won NWC Defensive Player of the Week at least once. Gio Aguilar-Gutierrez has seen the most action with 46 saves and a 1.16 goals against average. Landon Gordon has stepped into the keeper role as of late, owning a 3-0 record in goal with 21 saves and a 1.21 GAA.
The high octane Lutes lead the NWC in scoring with 49 goals on the year, averaging 2.7 per game.
About the Pirates:Â Whitworth (7-4-4, 7-3-4 NWC) heads to Tacoma unbeaten in its last three games. The Pirates fell 3-1 to in-state rival Whitman on Oct. 22 before picking up a 1-0 victory over Linfield on Oct. 25 and a 2-0 win over Lewis & Clark on Nov. 1. The following day, the Pirates battled to a 1-1 draw against George Fox.
Last Saturday's win saw the Pirates score in the 11th and 25th minutes, getting goals from both Johny Cortez and Dominic Gusman. Against George Fox, Jordan Voight scored in the 39th minute before the Bruins equalized the score in the 64th in a game Whitworth outshot visiting George Fox by a 24-9 margin.
Dominic Gusman has been involved in 12 of Whitworth's 22 goals this fall, leading the team with eight goals and four assists. Johny Cortez and Lucas Diaz both have three goals and one assist while Connor Bly and Lucas John both have a pair of scores.
Aiden Chase has seen the most minutes in goal, making 28 saves with a 1.40 goals against average. Dax Flanders has made five appearances with three shutouts to his name and a 0.80 GAA.
Home Sweet Home
The Lutes have been a tough squad to play at home since the 2017 season, owning a 60-11-8 record at East Field during that stretch. That includes a 22-1-2 record over the past two seasons and a 32-2-2 mark since the 2022 campaign.
Luteville Highlights
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 14-point buffer on in-state rival Whitworth University.
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:
Nov. 9 vs. Whitman at 1:45 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