Karamatic Nets Hat Trick in Finale as Lutes Top Linfield

Box Score

PUYALLUP, Wash. - Derek Karamatic closed his collegiate career with three goals and an assist as the Pacific Lutheran Lutes defeated the visiting Linfield Wildcats, 5-1, in a Northwest Conference men's soccer match played Friday afternoon at Washington Premier Soccer Complex. The match was the season finale for both squads.

Karamatic, a senior forward from Gig Harbor, netted a pair of goals in the first half as the Lutes built a 4-0 lead, and he added his final score two minutes into the second half to help the Lutes finish the season with 10 goals in their final two matches.

Derek MacLean got the Lutes (9-8-2 overall, 7-5-2 NWC) on the board in the 11th minute with a deft flick past Linfield goalkeeper Jon Thompson following a free kick by Andy Hyres. The ball sailed over a line of players and to MacLean, who calmly netted his first goal of the season from close range.

Karamatic scored the next two for the Lutes, taking a pass from Daniele Zaccagnini and blasting a 20-yard shot in the 21st minute, and then converting a penalty kick after a Linfield hand ball in the box in the 36th minute. Zaccagnini got into the scoring action in the 41st minute to give PLU a 4-0 advantage. Karamatic sent in a cross from the right wing that Thompson pushed near the top of the box, and Zaccagnini was there to finish the play from about 12 yards out.

The Lutes opened the second half where they left off in the first, and again it was Karamatic scoring the goal. He took a pass from Hyres, spun away from a defender near the left touch line and scored past Thompson from a sharp angle.

Linfield (9-10 overall, 5-9 NWC) picked up a consolation goal in the 59th minute from Kurtis Wong, who raced onto a long ball from Spencer Winter that was inadvertently headed on by the PLU defense. Wong notched his ninth goal of the season with the finish past hard-charging Lutes keeper Daniel Mangum.

The Lutes finished the match with 20 shots to 12 for the Wildcats, though the visitors enjoyed an 8-2 advantage in corner kicks. Mangum had four saves for the Lutes while Thompson had five saves and Joe Locascio two saves for the Wildcats. Both teams had potential goals cleared off the line by the opposing defense.

- PLU -