Setting the Scene: The five-time NWC Champion PLU women's soccer team closes out its season opening homestand today with a clash against 22nd-ranked Emory.
Series History: This is the second all-time meeting between the Lutes and Eagles. The two programs first met on Sept. 2, 2018 in San Antonio, Texas with Emory taking the neutral site showdown 2-0, scoring in the ninth and 87th minutes.
About the Lutes: The Pacific Lutheran women's soccer team picked up its first win of the season Thursday, defeating Piedmont 3-0 in nonconference action at East Field in the season opener for both teams.
Ellie Reardon, Kayden Hulquist and Julia Causbie all scored for the Lutes (1-0 overall), while Shaylin Cesar made a save to earn the shutout.
Reardon opened the scoring in the 49th minute, drilling a penalty kick into the lower left corner past a diving Haylee Dornan.
Hulquist doubled the lead in the 64th minute off an assist from Lily Dose, while Causbie finished the scoring in the 72nd minute unassisted.
PLU dominated in all aspects of the game and only a brilliant game from the Piedmont goalkeeper kept the score relatively close. Dornan made 12 saves, including three on breakaways.
PLU outshot the Atlanta-area school 25-2, including 15-1 in shots on goal.
About the Eagles: Emory (1-0), an NCAA Tournament team a year ago, opened the season on a high note, steamrolling Berry 5-0.
It took only six minutes for the Eagles to draw first blood with LJ Kolodge scoring off a Grace Reyer assist. Goals from Kylie Hall and Grace Reyer came in the 12th and 22nd minutes as visiting Emory enjoyed a 3-0 halftime edge.
Mia Hun scored in the 47th minute with Michelle Davidson capping off the fireworks with a goal in the 86th minute.
Emma Miller made three saves in goal to collect the clean sheet as the Eagles outgunned the Vikings 31-5, including a 16-1 edge in shots in the second half.
Home Sweet Home: East Field has been a daunting venue for opposing teams since the 2014 season, enjoying a 14-game win streak on the home turf. The Lutes boast a 63-6-6 record on the artificial turf over the past eight seasons. That includes a 10-0 record last fall, outscoring visitors by a 26-2 margin.
Trailblazing NIL the D3 Way: PLU Athletics continues to lead the way nationally in Name, Image, and Likeness, unveiling the Luteville Marketplace on Wednesday through the department's partnership with Opendorse. Learn more about the deal here: LINK. 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.
Fit to be Tied: Things will look a little different this fall with the NCAA doing away with overtime in the regular season. All competitions ending tied after 90 minutes will be declared a tie. Previously two sudden death periods of 10 minutes in length were played before the contest was declared a tie. These changes will align the NCAA more closely with international rules.
Next Home Game:
Sept. 17 vs. Pacific 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