Lutes Close Out First Half of Conference Slate

THIS WEEK: Pacific Lutheran hosts George Fox at noon on Saturday and Willamette at noon on Sunday.

HOME COOKING: The Lutes (2-8 overall, 1-5 NWC) close out the first half of the Northwest Conference schedule this weekend with a pair of home matches against foes hovering near the middle of the conference standings. George Fox (5-5 overall, 2-4 and sixth in the NWC) will be the Lutes' opponent on Saturday and Willamette (4-5-1, 3-3 and tied for fourth in the NWC) will face PLU on Sunday.

ABOUT GEORGE FOX: The Bruins have been a team of streaks thus far this season, and maintaining their current "streak" would mean good news for the Lutes. George Fox won its first three matches, lost its next four, two twice in a row, and most recently dropped a 2-0 decision to No. 1-ranked Puget Sound. Scoring goals has been problematic of late for a GFU team that scored 14 of its 17 total goals in its first three matches. Kirsten Cardwell leads the Bruins with six goals, while former Lute Jenny McKinsey has four goals and four assists to her credit. McKinsey played for PLU during her freshman season and has been a Lutes killer the last two years, twice scoring the only goal in 1-0 George Fox wins. Becka Doyle has compiled a 1.04 goals against average while playing most of the minutes in goal.  

ABOUT WILLAMETTE: The Bearcats, who host Pacific on Saturday, have yet to put together back-to-back wins this season. They have been tough on defense, allowing only 10 goals, but their offense is barely better with 11 goals in their 10 contests. Andrea Rowan leads the team with three goals and three of her teammates have scored two goals apiece. Jill Schneeman and Kelli Gano have split time in goal, Schneeman's numbers (0.64 goals against average) more impressive than Gano's (1.22 gaa).

GEE, LOOK AT LEE: Olivia Lee started 2009 as a "utility" player for the Lutes, a midfielder who had the talent, when needed, to start the season as a defender. The coaching staff decided to move the sophomore to an attacking role at the start of the conference season and the move has really paid off for Olivia and the team. Lee leads the Lutes with three goals, and her headed goal against Puget Sound was a thing of beauty. She has created lots of problems for opponents from her left wing position.

BOXERS THROW A KNOCKOUT PUNCH: Lauren Kanda led Pacific with two goals and an assist as the Boxers beat Pacific Lutheran, 3-0, in a Northwest Conference match played last Saturday at Lincoln Park Stadium in Forest Grove. Lauren Chambard made seven saves for the Lutes in 73 minutes in goal, and Ivory Harvey made two stops while playing the final 17 minutes. The Boxers had advantages in both shots (29-5) and corner kicks (7-0).

FIESTY LUTES BATTLE NO. 1 LOGGERS TO THE END: Pacific Lutheran battled to the end against the nation's top Division III women's soccer program, but the No. 1-ranked Puget Sound Loggers prevailed, 4-2, in a conference match played last Wednesday afternoon at the PLU field. Puget Sound scored two goals in the first 4:40 of the match and it appeared that a rout would be on, but with most of the play going Puget Sound's way, the Lutes found a ray of hope at the 11:10 mark when Karli Hurlbut took Olivia Lee's through ball and hit a left-footed shot past into the far side of the net. The goal was the second of the season for Hurlbut. Puget Sound scored later to take a 3-1 halftime lead. Entering the match, the Loggers had allowed just one goal in their first seven victories, but PLU's second goal breathed new life into this contest. Just 1:11 into the second half, Courtney Walker's corner kick found the head of Lee, and she snapped a header into the back of the net. For Lee, it was her team-best third goal of the campaign. A short time later, the Lutes would have drawn even had it not been for a nice reaction save by UPS keeper on Hurlbut's header from out front. After that, however, the Loggers started to dominate in possession and in shot attempts and they eventually added their fourth goal. Lauren Chambard had a solid game in goal for the Lutes with 10 saves, and Hurlbut saved another goal with a clearance off the line. PLU took eight shots, forcing four saves from Wolfer.

LISTEN LIVE: You can listen to all PLU women's soccer home matches by pointing your browser to the following link - http://www.golutes.com/information/listenlive. Students Paul DiPietro and Bret Handy call the majority of the matches, and PLU sports information director Nick Dawson sits in when the dynamic duo is not available.

- PLU -