Setting the Scene: The two-time reigning Northwest Conference Champion Lutes close out the regular season today with a clash against in-state nemesis Whitman College in what could be a de facto title game for the regular season NWC crown.
Series History: The Lutes and Blues have battled 80 times since the 1980 campaign with Pacific Lutheran holding a commanding 60-16-4 edge in the all-time series. The two teams last met on Oct. 11 in Walla Walla, dueling to a 1-1 stalemate. That game saw Misha Turchaninov score in the 14th minute only to see the Blue's Fernando Lopez-Vega equalize in the 51st minute.
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 Blues: Whitman (13-0-5, 12-0-2 NWC) heads into the weekend riding a five game win streak and an 18-game unbeaten run and own a two-point lead on the Lutes in the NWC standings.
The Blues tallied a 1-1 draw on the road at Willamette back on Oct. 18 but have been rolling since, earning wins over Pacific (3-2), Whitworth (3-1), Linfield (5-1), George Fox (2-0), and Lewis & Clark (3-0).
Last weekend, the Blues earned a pair of home shutouts, getting goals in the 77th and 88th minutes in the win over George Fox while scoring three goals in the opening 26 minutes the following day in a senior day win over Lewis & Clark.
Lucas McAllister leads the team in scoring (11 goals), assists (eight), and points (30) while Remi Marcos has seven goals and six assists on the year. Fernando Lopez-Vega has nine goals to his name while Kevin Serrano has five. Whitman has outscored its opponents by a combined 46-20 margin this season.
Niclas Isensee has seen the majority of action in goal, boasting a 0.96 goals against average with 53 saves and four shutouts.
Thank You Seniors!
This year's senior class have established a legacy of success, winning two Northwest Conference titles and making three consecutive trips to the NCAA Division III Championships.
The 2025 seniors boast a 57-12-13 record over the past four seasons, including a 46-5-9 mark in conference play and a 32-2-2 mark at East Field.
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 Match:
TBA
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