TACOMA, Wash. - The Defending Northwest Conference Co-Champion Pacific Lutheran University men's soccer team will begin their quest for the NWC crown this weekend as they open conference play against Willamette University, who they tied for the conference crown with in 2017, and will finish the weekend off against Linfield College at East Field.

The Lutes enter NWC play with a 4-2 record from their non-conference matchups, most recently traveling into 100 degree heat down in California and falling in two tight games to University of Redlands and Chapman University. Senior forward Joe Sammartino leads the team in scoring with three goals, as he provided a pair of goals on the previous weekend for the Lutes.

"The last two games were good preparation for the intensity level of the NWC, and this intensity translates over from practice," said Sammartino.  "We feel really confident, I mean you gotta be confident when you are 4-2. All of our guys have the goal of winning the conference and everyone being bought into that makes it an attainable goal."

This team has been working hard and traveling a lot journeying up to the conference play, and feel they have really began to fine tune their game as they find their rhythm. 

Sept. 15: PLU vs. Willamette at East Field (2:30 p.m.)

Series History: The Lutes and Bearcats have met 63 times since 1980 with PLU enjoying the upper hand with a 37-23-3 series lead. Last season the two teams split the season series, each prevailing 2-1 on their home turf.

About the Bearcats: Willamette (3-1-1) heads to Tacoma unbeaten in its last three games. The Bearcats lone blemish in 2018 was a 2-1 setback to NAIA member Corban University on Sept. 1.

Since then, Willamette has earned a 3-1 win over University of California-Santa Cruz, a 0-0 draw against Albion College, and a 4-3 come-from-behind win over Wisconsin Lutheran College. 

Nicholas Ballenger is the Bearcats' top scorer, heading into NWc play with four goals on the season. Ryan Sato has a team-best four assists while in net, Mason Kelliher has logged the most time, making 16 saves with a goals against average of 0.79.

Sept. 16: PLU vs. Linfield at East Field (2:30 p.m.)

Series History: The Lutes and Wildcats have met 60 times on the pitch with PLU enjoying a 27-20-3 edge in the all-time series. The Lutes have won three straight in the series, sweeping the season series last fall. 

About the Wildcats: Linfield (2-2) heads to Tacoma having split its opening two weekends of the season. The Wildcats fell 1-0 to California Institute of Technology in the opener before rebounding with a 2-1 win over Whittier College to close out their California trip. 

Last weekend saw Linfield drop a 1-0 decision to Multnomah University before crushing Walla Walla University 5-1.

Gerardo Perez is the Wildcats top scorer, finding the back of the net twice this season while Shoma Okita has a team-high two assists.