SALEM – A scoreless match at halftime got away from the Lutes in the second period as Willamette scored three goals in a 17-minute stretch to defeat PLU 3-0 in Northwest Conference men's soccer action Saturday afternoon at Sparks Field.

Pacific Lutheran's fourth consecutive defeat drops the Lutes' record to 9-4-3 overall and 4-4-2 in conference play. Willamette improves to 9-4-2 overall and 5-3-2 in the NWC. The Lutes will look to get back on track Sunday afternoon, visiting Linfield in a conference matchup beginning at 2:30 p.m.

The Lutes out-shot the Bearcats 5-3 in the opening half and forced Willamette goalkeeper Braydon Calder to make three saves in the period. But the match went into the halftime break without a score on either side.

Willamette finished with a two-shot advantage in the second period to tie PLU overall 11-11 for the game, although the Lutes finished with a 6-3 corner kick advantage. Yazan Hishmeh broke through for the Bearcats in the 63rd minute of play, taking a rebound from PLU goalkeeper Joe Rayburn and sending it into the upper right corner of the net for his ninth goal of the season.

Ethan Tait made it 2-0 nine minutes later, taking a pass from Adan Vazquez about 10 yards out and sending it into the upper left corner. Trevor Jensen's seventh goal of the year came in the 79th minute off an assist by Hishmeh from seven yards out.