Setting the Scene: The Lutes homestand continues, welcoming Lewis & Clark to East Field for the program's final non-conference game of the season.
Series History: This is the 14th all-time meeting between the Lutes and Pioneers and the first since the Pios reinstated their program this season. PLU enjoys a 12-1 lead in the series that was contested from 1980 to 1991.
About the Lutes: Pacific Lutheran (9-2, 4-2 NWC) won a pair of games last weekend in Oregon and is sitting second in the conference standings, chasing undefeated Willamette.
It was the Robby Guyer show last Friday night in Newberg, Oregon with the senior forward scoring in the 36th and 70th minutes in a 2-0 win over George Fox. Trevor Thompson assisted on both goals and two goals of his own on Sunday in a 4-2 thrashing of Pacific University. PLU held the Boxers off the scoreboard until the waining moments with Pacific scoring in the 83rd and 85th minutes.
Trevor Thompson was tapped the NWC Offensive Player of the Week for the second time running while Sammy Tafolla claimed NWC Defensive Player of the Week. Thompson currently leads the NWC in goals (eight), assists (six), and points (22) while ranking 11th nationally in total assists and 15th in total points.
Cris Lozano is second on the team in both goals (six) and points (14) with Guyer contributing a trio of goals and four assists.
Nicholas Gaston has made 34 saves in goal for the Lutes, starting every game and boasting a 0.98 goals against average.
About the Pioneers: Lewis & Clark (0-3) is playing its first season as a varsity program this fall, playing an independent schedule before joining the Northwest Conference as a full-time member in the fall of 2023.
The Pios made their debut on Sept. 9, falling 6-0 to NAIA College of Idaho before coming up short 3-1 to Linfield on Sept. 12. L&C faced George Fox on Monday, getting shutout 2-0.
The Pios earned an exhibition win over Edmonds Community College back on Sept. 11, scoring in the 66th minute for the 1-0 win.
Home Cooking: East Field has been a daunting place for opponents to play since the 2015 season with the Lutes holding a 44-15-7 advantage in games played on campus. That includes a 19-7-3 mark over the past three seasons.
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.
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.
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.
To download the app to your smartphone or tablet, visit the Apple App Store (DOWNLOAD LINK) or Google Play (DOWNLOAD LINK) and search for "PLU Athletics."
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
Next Home Game:
Saturday, Oct. 15 vs. Pacific at 2:30 p.m.