TACOMA, Wash. — Lewis & Clark College women's soccer turned in a competitive performance against the eight-time defending Northwest Conference champions on Sunday afternoon, but Pacific Lutheran University scored twice early in the second half to secure a 2-0 victory at East Field.
THE BASICS
Pacific Lutheran 2, Lewis & Clark 0
(Lewis & Clark 0-5-1, 0-2-0 NWC)
(Pacific Lutheran 2-2-2, 2-0-0 NWC)
HOW IT HAPPENED
The teams played a scoreless opening 45 minutes, with the Pioneers generating five first-half shots. Juniors
Grace Smith and
Mischa Vanek, along with first-year forward
Riley Yip, combined for all five attempts to test the Lutes' back line.
Lewis & Clark's defense held firm in the first half. Seniors
Elle Sparks and
Abby Morrow anchored the back line with sophomores
Ava Lazzara and
Kailani Pascua, while senior goalkeeper
Anna Ingadottir made two key saves to keep the match level.
In the 27th minute, a PLU corner kick led to a point-blank shot by Zoe Markquart that Ingadottir smothered with a block and quick recovery. Nine minutes later, Markquart slipped past one defender and fired on goal, only for Ingadottir to make a diving save to her right.
The Pioneers nearly grabbed the opener in the 29th minute. After a throw-in from sophomore
Kaedance Stubbs to Vanek, junior
Iris Stutzman slipped a pass to Yip in the box. Yip's first-time touch forced Lutes goalkeeper Abby Winkler into her first save of the day.
Pacific Lutheran found the breakthrough moments after halftime. In the 46th minute, Kiana Gutierrez scored unassisted for her second goal of the season. Six minutes later, Gutierrez set up Liv Olson for the Lutes' second tally.
Lewis & Clark continued to press. Vanek forced Winkler into another save in the 56th minute, and Stutzman narrowly missed just wide. Off the bench, senior
Gwen Daoust added energy in her 38 minutes, recording her first career shot on goal in the closing seconds with a drive from the top of the box.
BY THE NUMBERS
- Smith, Sparks and Lazzara each played the full 90 minutes, joining Ingadottir in going the distance.
- Daoust registered her first career shot and first career shot on goal in the 90th minute.
- First-year midfielder Hattie Valdez Lindgren made her Northwest Conference debut, logging 23 minutes.
WHO'S NEXT
Lewis & Clark returns home on Saturday for its Northwest Conference home opener against George Fox University. Kickoff is scheduled for Noon at Griswold Stadium.