PARKLAND - Brendan Ward headed home Cody Pillon's corner kick
with 2:18 remaining in the second overtime to give the visiting UC
Santa Cruz Banana Slugs a hard-fought 1-0 men's soccer victory over
the host Pacific Lutheran Lutes on Thursday afternoon.
Ward spun away from his defender to the far side of the goal and
firmly met Pillon's driven ball, blasting it past Lutes goalkeeper
Brian Kostol and into the net. The goal ended a well-played and
entertaining game between the two NCAA Division III West Region
opponents.
Both teams had a number of good scoring opportunities during
regulation and again through the first overtime period. PLU forward
Spencer Augustin headed straight at UCSC goalkeeper Matt Pereira in
the waning minutes of regulation, and Alika Okamitsu sent a
wide-open header over the crossbar inside the final minute of the
first overtime period.
The Banana Slugs (2-0) took 16 shots in the game and put give of
them on goal, while the Lutes finished with 13 shots, including
five on goal. Kostol finished the game with five saves for PLU
while Pereira registered five in the UCSC goal. Corner kicks were
even at three apiece.
The Lutes (0-1) return to action on Saturday when they play the
St. Thomas Tommies in St. Peter, Minn.
- PLU -
