Setting the Scene: The first-place Lutes continue their five-game homestand today, hosting NWC rival Linfield at East Field.
Series History: The Lutes and Wildcats have met 69 times since 1980 with PLU holding a 45-20-4 edge in the series. The two teams played to a scoreless draw last time they met on Sept. 24, snapping an 11-game Lute win streak in the series. Linfield's last win was a 3-1 triumph back in 2012. Since then, PLU has gone 16-0-3.
About the Lutes: 18th-ranked and NWC-leading Pacific Lutheran (9-1-4, 8-0-2 NWC) returns home riding a four-game win streak and an 11-game unbeaten run.
PLU's only setback this fall is a 2-1 decision against now seventh-ranked Emory (Ga.) back on Sept. 8. Since then, the high-octane Lutes have outscored its 11 foes by a combined 44-9 margin, including five shutouts.
Last weekend, the Lutes took care of business in eastern Washington, defeating Whitworth 4-2 and Whitman 3-1. Craig Johnson headlined the weekend, scoring the game-winning goal against the Pirates and finishing the trip with two goals and three assists.
As a team, the Lutes rank fourth in all of NCAA Division III in scoring offense, averaging 3.4 goals per game while ranking fifth in total goals (49) and points per game (9.5). PLU additionally sits ninth in the nation in goal differential at +35.
Anchoring that explosive attack is Craig Johnson who ranks sixth nationally in game-winning goals (five), 10th in total points (36), and 12th in total goals (15). Robby Guyer has been Johnson's wingman, ranking 18th nationally in total assists (seven).
In goal, Nicholas Gaston leads the NWC in goals against average (1.023) while sitting second in the league in save percentage (0.764).
About the Wildcats: Linfield (3-8-3, 3-5-2 NWC) heads into the weekend riding a two-game win streak.
The Wildcats posted a 4-3 victory over Willamette on Oct. 11, scoring all four goals in the opening 46 minutes including a pair of scores from Sid Kosaris. Three days later, Linfield blanked George Fox 2-0 with Kosaris netting the game winner in the 34th minute.
Linfield has 20 goals this season with Sid Kosaris leading the squad in both goals (six) and points (13). E.J. Sablan has four goals and two assists while Seamus Miller has a pair of goals and assists.
Colby Reese has seen a majority of the action this fall, starting nine of the 13 games with 39 saves and a 1.64 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 53-15-7 advantage in games played on campus. That includes a 28-7-3 mark over the past three seasons. Last fall the Lutes were 10-1 on the home turf.
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 Home Match:
Oct. 28 vs. Pacific at 2:30 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