PARKLAND - Pacific Lutheran ended a five-match losing skid with a 3-1 Northwest Conference women's soccer victory over the visiting Whitman Missionaries on Saturday afternoon.

The Lutes improved their overall record to 2-5 and their conference mark to 1-2 by doubling their season's goal tally in a single match. With the loss, Whitman is now 2-4-1 overall and 1-3 in the conference.

The Missionaries took an early lead on Julianne Masser's goal just 3:29 into the match. Masser cut inside a defender to run onto Amy Hasson's pass and she rolled it past hard-charging PLU goalkeeper Lauren Chambard.

PLU got that goal back about three minutes later when Karin Hatch's cross from the right wing instead sailed over the head of Whitman keeper Courtney Porter and into the back of the net. At the 29:19 mark, the Lutes took a 2-1 lead when a cross from Shelby Daly eluded Porter's grasp and trickled into the goal.

The Lutes, who came into the match with just three goals this season, doubled that number at 54:33 on Olivia Lee's second strike of the year. Lee took Karli Hurlbut's pass, tapped it around Porter and struck it into the open net.

Whitman enjoyed an 18-9 advantage in shots and put nine of their efforts on frame, forcing eight saves from Chambard. The Lutes showed excellent accuracy with seven shots on goal. Porter finished the match with four saves.

Both teams return to Northwest Conference action at noon on Saturday, the Lutes hosting Whitworth and Whitman playing at Puget Sound.

- PLU -