Written by Student Assistant Christian Bond

TACOMA, Wash. – The 23rd-ranked Pacific Lutheran University women's soccer team had a strong showing from its defense, keeping Pacific University from getting a shot off in a 3-0 victory to open Northwest Conference play on Saturday at East Field.

The defending NWC Champion Lutes (4-1, 1-0 NWC) got off to a pedestrian start in the first half, carrying a 0-0 tie into the break. Liz Griffith made her return to the field at the beginning of the second half, and the offense started to flow.

"Liz Griffith came on in the second half and provided some good soccer intelligence," head coach Seth Spidahl said. "Her soccer IQ is high, and her movement opened some things up for us that helped us score goals."

PLU would go on to score three goals in an eight minute span, all coming from different players. Leah Magee got the Lutes on the board in the 65th minute. She received a cross from the right corner from Machaela Graddy and headed it home to get the Lutes out to a 1-0 lead.

Then in the 68th minute, Graddy found the back of the net on a ball from Kelsey Hathaway. In the 70th minute, senior captain Ashley Mindnich scored her first goal of the year, also on a pass from Graddy.

All 23 shots during the game came off the feet of PLU players, including 17 coming in the second half. Lute goalkeeper Natalie Robinson extended her shutout streak to 289 minutes, netting her fourth clean sheet of the young season. The Boxers' (0-4-1, 0-2 NWC) Saya Brown absorbed the loss, allowing three goals and making three saves in 70 minutes of work.

PLU hosts Linfield College tomorrow at noon on East Field.

"Linfield is a good opponent," Spidahl said. "Home or away, it's always a tough one-goal game. We're going to have to be better in all areas process wise. Linfield is traditionally a top four team in this conference, and we're going to have to be a lot better for sure."