PARKLAND - Pacific Lutheran and Pacific exchanged goals for 110
minutes of action before their Northwest Conference women's soccer
match ended in a 3-3 tie on a sunny Sunday at the PLU field.
The host Lutes had a strong opening and got on the board first
at 14:33 when Monica Beard drilled home a 25-yard blast after
picking up a loose ball in Pacific's defensive end. The goal was
the second of the season for Beard, one of three seniors honored
prior to the start of the match.
The Boxers, who beat the Lutes by a 3-0 score earlier this year,
tied it at 38:24 on the first of Ashley Kanda's three goals. Kanda,
who came off the bench for Pacific, flicked Jenny Novak's header
over PLU keeper Lauren Chambard and into the net. Kanda entered the
match with one goal this season but finished with four to her
tally.
PLU broke the deadlock at the 57:06 mark on Olivia Lee's fifth
goal of the season. Lee raced on to Jordan Daniels' through ball
and put her shot past Pacific keeper Brittany Hartmann. Slightly
more than four minutes later, Pacific had the tying goal on Kanda's
penalty kick, the tally officially coming at 61:12. The penalty was
given after Becca Roth was taken down in the box after a shot
attempt.
The Lutes took a 3-2 lead at 66:31 on Karli
Hurlbut's sixth goal of the season. The play started on the right
wing with senior defender Meredith Newby whipping a cross into the
center of the box. Hurlbut met the ball squarely, leaving Hartmann
with no chance at a save.
PLU was within four minutes of claiming a victory in its final
home match of the season until Kanda finished off her hat trick.
Shekema McCarthy sent a long pass ahead to Kanda, who got past one
defender before hitting a 10-yard shot from a right angle past
Chambard and into the goal.
The Boxers had the two best chances to score in extra time, and
both came within the first two minutes. First, Kanda's shot toward
an open goal was cleared off of the line by Newby. The ball fell to
the feet of Ashley's sister, Lauren, but her shot clanged off the
left post and rolled across the goal mouth before it was
cleared out of danger.
After a slow start, Pacific came back to out-shoot the Lutes by
a 29-15 count, though PLU almost matched the visitors in shots on
goal (11-9 in favor of Pacific). Both keepers were kept busy,
Chambard making seven saves and Hartmann getting six. Both teams
attempted three corner kicks.
Pacific Lutheran closes out its season next weekend with road
games at Willamette on Friday and at George Fox on Saturday.
- PLU -
