Alex Murray headed home a cross from Blake Warner with 4:56 remaining in the second overtime as Pacific Lutheran defeated Lewis & Clark, 2-1, in a Northwest Conference women's soccer match played Saturday afternoon at the PLU field.

The Lutes got a win in their conference opener and at the same time improved their overall record to 2-1. Lewis & Clark lost its second straight 2-1 conference decision and is now 1-4-1 overall and 0-2 in the NWC.

Pacific Lutheran took a 1-0 lead at 63:19 when frosh forward Sarah Gamache raced on to a long ball from Warner and shot it past L&C keeper Geena Fong for her first goal of the season.

It seemed like that goal would stand up, but the Pioneers sent it into overtime with a goal 2:05 from the end of regulation. Andi Glaeser beat a PLU defender to a long ball down in the corner, managed to clear some space, and then hit the far side netting with a shot from a sharp left angle.

In the first overtime session, the Lutes looked to have won the game on a curling shot by Karli Hurlbut, but Fong managed to get a hand on the ball and punch it wide of the right post. PLU finally got the breakthrough in the second overtime when Warner crossed the ball from the left wing and found the head of the 5-10 Murray. The sophomore midfielder beat everyone to the ball and headed it past Fong, setting off a wild celebration.

The teams were even at five shots apiece in the opening half, but the Lutes turned up the pressure in the final half and the overtime period to end up with a 19-7 advantage in shots. Fong was forced to make nine saves, while PLU sophomore keeper Laurie Reddy had two saves while picking up her second win against no defeats.

The Lutes return to action at noon on Sunday when they host the Willamette Bearcats on the PLU field.

- PLU -