PARKLAND – Following Saturday's double-overtime scoreless tie, the Pacific Lutheran women's soccer team looked to strike early in Sunday's Northwest Conference match against Whitman. The Lutes did just that, as Mariah Rasmussen found the net 70 seconds into the first period, and PLU held off the Missionaries 1-0 on a sunny Sunday afternoon.

Pacific Lutheran improves to 5-2-3 overall and 3-0-3 in conference play, while Whitman falls to 7-5 overall and 3-5 in the NWC. The Lutes head back out on the road for their next four matches, beginning next weekend with contests at Linfield and Willamette.

The Lutes took 22 shots on Saturday, but it only took their first one on Sunday to find the net. Blake Warner sent a corner kick into the box, where Rasmussen knocked it to the right of Whitman keeper Emily Davis to put PLU up 1-0. That goal proved to be the only score of the match, as the PLU defense shut out a Whitman attack that out-shot the Lutes 10-to-5 in the match.

Marisa Gonzalez played the first half at keeper for PLU, tallying one save in the opening period. Takara Mitsui took over after halftime and closed out the shutout with a pair of saves.