TACOMA, Wash. – Through seven games of the Northwest Conference schedule, the Pacific Lutheran University men's soccer team has yet to be defeated following a 1-1 tie against rival University of Puget Sound at East Field.
The Lutes (8-3-2, 5-0-2) looked to be on their way to a sixth conference win, but the Loggers had other plans. With 11 seconds remaining in the game and PLU clinging to a 1-0 lead, Sean Hamel touched a free kick to Luke Murdock who blasted it into the top right corner of the goal to knot the score with just seven seconds remaining in regulation.
Robby Guyer nearly won the game for PLU in the first overtime, but his shot, which had beaten the Logger keeper, ricocheted off the crossbar and away from danger.
PLU (8-3-2, 5-0-2) needed just over eight minutes to get on the scoreboard in Saturday's rivalry game.
Emmanuel Saah played the ball to
Ryan Griffith and
Keeton Heggerness flicked a Griffith pass with his back heel to give the Lutes an early 1-0 advantage. It was Heggerness' 11
th goal this season, which is tied with
Zak Gregg for tops on the team and the conference.
The home team controlled the pace in the first half with seven shots to the Loggers' three, but the second half was dead even with each team producing five chances.
Cole Weaver made four saves for the Lutes to preserve the tie, while Ethan Stern-Ellis made just two saves for UPS.
After seven conference games, the Lutes hold a two-point edge in the league standings over Whitman College and a four-point advantage over UPS and Willamette University.
\The Lutes will head to Willamette and Linfield College next weekend. Both games are scheduled for 2:30 p.m.
