TACOMA - You would have to go all the way back to 1991 to find
the last time that a Pacific Lutheran men's soccer team defeated
Puget Sound in a match at the Loggers' home field, but that string
of 15 straight losses or ties came to an end.
With four different players contributing goals, the Lutes
defeated the host Loggers, 4-1, in a Northwest Conference match
played Sunday afternoon on Peyton Field at Baker Stadium.
The Lutes scored first in the 19th minute when Spencer Augustin
got control of a ball just inside the top of the box and shot over
the outstretched hands of Loggers keeper Greg Saetrum.
In the 59th minute, the Lutes added to their 1-0 lead when
Chad Kearns scored his sixth goal of the season. The play
started down the right wing where Augustin pulled a pass back to
Alex Schisel, whose cross found Kearn at the back post. Kearns'
left-footed shot beat Saetrum, putting the Lutes on top, 2-0.
In the 64th minute, the Loggers pulled to within a
goal when Sean Rice scored his second goal of the season
after dribbling around PLU keeper Brian Kostol and finishing into
the open net.
Daniele Zaccagnini made it 3-1 on a quick PLU counter initiated
by Surafel Wodajo. His pass to Jason Bjorgo was knocked down, but
Zaccagnini ran onto the loose ball and slid a left-footed shot
underneath the UPS keeper and into the net in the 76th minute for
his fifth goal this season.
Another PLU counter attack resulted in the fourth goal. With
most of the Loggers defenders forward for a free kick, defender
Scott Parsons won a header. The ball went quickly forward to
Wodajo, who juked one defender before finding Andy Hyres alone
about 15 yards in front of the net for his third goal of the
season.
Pacific Lutheran nearly doubled the Loggers in shots with a 15-8
advantage, and the Lutes also put seven shots on frame compared to
just two for the hosts. The Loggers held a 7-3 advantage in corner
kicks.
PLU returns to action next weekend with conference road matches
at Whitworth and Whitman.
- PLU -
