SALEM, Ore. - Spencer Augustin scored just 4:16 into the game and Pacific Lutheran fended off Willamette  in the second half as the Lutes defeated the Bearcats, 1-0, in a Northwest Conference men's soccer match played Sunday afternoon at Sparks Field.

The win, combined with Pacific's 0-0 double-overtime tie at Whitworth, moved PLU (9-6-1 overall) into first place in the Northwest Conference standings with 24 points from an 8-3-0 record. Pacific has 23 points on a 7-2-2 record. The teams will play next Saturday afternoon in Forest Grove, Ore., in a crucial match that could decide the conference championship. The contest is the first of three straight that the Lutes will play on the road to finish the regular season.

Willamette finished the day at 3-10-3 overall, 1-8-2 in the NWC.

Augustin hit the net with a 22-yard shot into the lower right corner for his third goal of the season and his second in as many matches. His shot followed a short pass from Giancarlo Santoro, who took the ball down the left side and then moved toward the top of the penalty area, before stopping and passing to Augustin.

PLU outshot Willamette in the first half, 11-7, but the Bearcats achieved a 6-3 advantage in shots during the second half. For the game, Pacific Lutheran had 14 shots and Willamette earned 13, though the Bearcats held a 6-5 edge in shots on goal. The Bearcats also gained an 8-6 margin in corner kicks, with five of the corners coming in the second half.

Goalkeeper Brian Kostol of PLU recorded six saves while earning the shutout, his second of the season. Eben Hellekson provided three saves for Willamette.

Augustin, Daniele Zaccagnini and Chad Kearns each took three shots for the Lutes.

(Courtesy of Willamette Sports Information Office.)