Setting the Scene: The reigning Northwest Conference Champion Lutes are back on the pitch after a weekend off, opening their home slate against NAIA opponent Warner Pacific University.
Series History: Pacific Lutheran and Warner Pacific have met nine times on the soccer field with the series deadlocked at 4-4-1 in a series that dates back to the 1981 season.
The two teams last met in Portland during the 2021 season with the host Knights securing a 2-1 victory.
About the Lutes: Pacific Lutheran (0-1-1) opened its 2024 season back on Aug. 30, falling 2-1 against host University of California Santa Cruz before securing a 3-3 tie two days later against Ponona-Pitzer Colleges.
The opener saw the host Banana Slugs scored goals in the 15th and 70th minutes. PLU answered with a Trevor Thompson goal in the 79th minute but it wasn't enough as the Lutes fell short despite outshooting the hosts 15-12, including a 12-6 edge in shots on frame.
Two days later, the Sagehens took a 2-0 lead after netting goals in the 32nd and 69th minutes. PLU tied the game in a four-minute stretch, getting goals from Thompson in the 71st minute and Owen Bliskis in the 74th minute. Pomona-Pitzer pushed ahead with a score in the 82nd minute but Thompson booted one in during the 87th minute to get the tie.
PLU again outshot its opposition, enjoying a 20-13 edge in shots.
Trevor Thompson has a nose for the goal this season, leading the team with three goals through the opening two games. Bliskis (one goal) and Seamus Miller (one assist) are the only other Lutes with a point so far this year.
Nicholas Gaston is starting in goal for the fifth consecutive season and played all 180 minutes during the opening weekend. The Mililani, Hawaii native has made nine saves on the season so far and sits just 12 saves away from second on the all-time list. Gaston currently sits with 233 saves over the past five seasons.
About the Knights: Warner Pacific (4-0) heads to Tacoma on a roll, starting off the season undefeated, including two victories over Northwest Conference schools.
WPU opened the year with a 1-0 win over George Fox on August 22 before downing Saint Martin's 3-1 three days later. The Knights held off Missouri Baptist 3-1 on August 31 before cruising past Linfield 3-1 two days later.
11 different players have registered a point, including seven different goal scorers. Chanin Orlandin leads the team in both goals (three) and points (eight) while Gabriel Rincon is the leading distributer with four assists in the opening four games.
Joseph Juarez-Cruz has handled all 315 minutes between the posts for WPU, making 13 saves with a 1.14 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 58-15-7 advantage in games played on campus. That includes a 31-7-3 mark over the past five seasons. Last fall the Lutes were a perfect 8-0 on the home turf and are 18-1 at home over the past three seasons.
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.
Last spring PLU became just the second Division III school in the nation and the first school in any division in the State of Washington to partner with Athlete's Thread. Athlete's Thread allows every Lute student-athlete to sell customizable gear and jerseys with their name and number and receive monetary compensation for a portion of each sale. Check out the link above to order your gear today!
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:
Sept. 21 vs. Willamette 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