Setting the Scene: The eight-time defending Northwest Conference Champion Pacific Lutheran University women's soccer team returns home riding an 11-game unbeaten run and sits atop the conference standings as Oregon rival Willamette University makes the trek to East Field.
Series History: Pacific Lutheran holds a 46-35-7 advantage in the all-time series that dates back to the 1981 season. The Lutes have dominated the series as of late, winning the last two meetings and owning a 16-0-2 edge in the series dating back to the middle of the 2015 campaign.
The team's last met on Sept. 27 in Salem with the Lutes scoring a 3-0 victory, getting goals from Marie Piho, Liv Olson, and Ally Tattar.
About the Lutes: Pacific Lutheran (8-2-5, 8-0-3 NWC) returns from a grueling five game road swing perched atop the NWC standings and owning an 11-match unbeaten run. The Lutes additionally return to East Field milking a 430 minute shutout streak, a stretch spanning across five games.
The road swing began back on Oct. 11 with the Lutes defeating Whitman College 2-1 in Walla Walla, Washington. The following day it was a 1-0 victory over Whtworth University in Spokane.
Last weekend it was a pair of 1-0 victories in Oregon over Lewis & Clark College and George Fox University. Tia Schwetz was the star of both games, scoring her first career goal against the Pioneers before striking again on Sunday against the Bruins.
The Lutes battled crosstown nemesis University of Puget Sound on Wednesday, earning a 0-0 tie to remain two points clear of the Loggers in the NWC standings with five regular season games remaining.
Liv Olson leads the Lute offense in goals (eight), points (16), and game-winning goals (three). Kiana Gutierrez has two goals and a team-high four assists while Schwetz has two goals and Olivia Boehm has three assists. All told, 12 different Lutes have scored a point this fall.
Abby Winkler has been a brick wall in goal, making 71 saves on the season and boasting a goals against average of 0.40. That includes posting eight shutouts this year. Winkler's 27 career shutouts currently sits tied for fifth on PLU's all-time list.
About the Bearcats: Willamette (3-5-7, 2-4-6 NWC) heads north to Tacoma with a six match unbeaten run. That includes tying five of those six encounters with the Bearcats lone victory a 3-0 thrashing of George Fox on Oct. 15. Since then, Willamette has earned 1-1 draws at home against both Whitman and Whitworth.
Both games against the Whits saw Willamette score first only to see the visitors equalize and get the tie. Whitman scored the tying goal in the 56 minute while it was the 68th minute against the Pirates.
Claire Warthen leads the Bearcats in both goals (five) and points (10) while Natalie Rodriguez-De La Torre is second on the team in points (seven) and the leader in assists with three. Amanda McArthur had three goals, including a team best two game winners.
Siera Edwards has played a majority of the minutes in goal, owning a 1.42 goals against average with 49 saves on the season. That includes a pair of shutouts this fall.
Home Sweet Home
The Lutes have been nearly unstoppable at home since the 2013 season, enjoying an 92-10-14 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.
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 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:
Nov. 8 vs. Whitworth 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