PARKLAND - Pacific Lutheran battled to the end against one of the nation's top Division III women's soccer programs, but the Puget Sound Loggers prevailed, 4-2, in a Northwest Conference match played Wednesday afternoon at the PLU field.

The Loggers, ranked No. 1 in the country in the d3soccer.com poll and No. 2 in the NSCAA/adidas poll, improved their overall record to 8-0-0 and their conference mark to 5-0-0, but not without a fight from the Lutes, now 2-7-0 overall and 1-4-0 in the conference. The win was the 22nd straight for the Loggers over the Lutes in this long-time series between Tacoma rivals.

Puget Sound scored two goals in the first 4:40 of the match and it appeared that a rout would be on. Maddy Fisk scored her first goal of the season at 2:25, heading home a cross from the left wing by Mikaela Freeman. At the 4:40 mark, Freeman took advantage of a bobble by PLU goalkeeper Lauren Chambard, shooting the loose ball into the net for her fifth goal of the season.

With most of the play going Puget Sound's way, the Lutes found a ray of hope at the 11:10 mark when Karli Hurlbut took Olivia Lee's through ball and hit a left-footed shot past Puget Sound keeper Kallie Wolfer and into the far side of the net. The goal was the second of the season for Hurlbut.

Puget Sound made it 3-1 at 32:14 when Freeman lofted a ball over the defense to Jenny Moore, who collided with Chambard as the two pursued the ball. Moore jumped to her feet and scored her fifth goal from just inside the penalty box.

Entering the match, the Loggers had allowed just one goal in their first seven victories, but PLU's second goal breathed new life into this contest. Just 1:11 into the second half, Courtney Walker's corner kick found the head of Lee, and she snapped a header into the back of the net. For Lee, it was her team-best third goal of the campaign.

After that, however, the Loggers started to dominate in possession and in shot attempts. The visitors finished the match with 34 shots, 21 of which came in the final half. Though they sprayed many of their efforts over the bar or wide of the post, they were finally rewarded when Janece Levien, the school's all-time leading goal scorer with 63, used her speed to race past the Lutes defense and slot the ball past Chambard and into the net at the 66:58 mark.

Chambard had a solid game in goal for the Lutes with 10 saves, and Hurlbut saved another goal with a clearance off the line. PLU took eight shots, forcing four saves from Wolfer.

Pacific Lutheran returns to action at noon on Saturday when it plays the Pacific Boxers in Forest Grove, Ore.

- PLU -