TACOMA, Wash. - The three-time defending Northwest Conference Champion Pacific Lutheran University women's soccer team will look to continue its historic winning streak this weekend as they host Lewis & Clark College on Saturday and Pacific University on Sunday at East Field.
Last weekend the Lutes (12-1-1, 10-0 NWC) traveled to eastern Washington to take on Whitworth University (3-10-1) and Whitman College (1-12), claiming all six points on the road. The Lutes defeated the Pirates on Saturday 1-0, off of an overtime winner in the 95th minute by Ashlee Gormlee. The Lutes also took down the Blues on Sunday 2-0, thanks to goals by
Maddie Landreth and
Savannah Brown.
The two wins this past weekend mark the 11th consecutive win for the Lutes, and the 10th clean sheet in those games.
"The trip to the Whits is challenging on its own, and on the field, we felt some frustration when we were not getting the results we were working for," said senior defender
Danielle Lisk. "We were able to push through this adversity and earn both wins by showing grit and mental toughness on the field, executing our game-plans, and by having a great process off the field which kept us fresh while traveling."
"The win-streak honestly doesn't feel real. I try not to think about it much because our team emphasizes having a 0-0 mentality in everything we do. However, I'm unbelievably proud of my teammates and I can't wait to see how we perform the remainder of the season."
With the season entering the final stretch, Lisk is looking forward to seeing what the team is capable off and how far they can go.
"I'm looking forward to enjoying these last few weeks of the season and savoring the little things. Whether it is at games, practice, weights, or team meetings, I am excited to spend time with my teammates and continue making memories with them."
Lisk also has many great memories over her four years at PLU, with some that she will remember for a long time.
"My favorite collegiate soccer memory is when the team traveled to England in the summer before my junior year in August 2018. Exploring London, Oxford, and many other locations with my teammates was an unforgettable experience and something that I will never forget."
As a senior, Lisk is also looking forward to graduating in the spring and preparing for life post-graduation.
"I'm double majoring in History and Political Science. After graduation, I plan to get my Washington State teaching certification through a graduate program, and then teach history or social science in a high school or middle school setting."
"I have always been passionate about history; the stories of the past are interesting and crucial to understanding many current events. I would absolutely love the opportunity to help younger generations enjoy it as much as I do, and I figured that teaching would be one of the best ways to do this."
Outside of school and athletics, Lisk enjoys rock climbing, specifically bouldering, hiking, photography, and caring for houseplants.
Lisk and the Lutes look to continue their historic pace at home, as they host Lewis & Clark College on Saturday at 12 p.m. and Pacific University on Sunday at 12 p.m.
"In order to prepare for the weekend, I think that we just need to continue having a good process on and off the field and to have another productive and focused week of training leading up to the weekend. If we stay focused on our own game, the results will continue to fall in our favor."
LuteLegion: The first 50 PLU students in attendance on Saturday and Sunday will receive a free LuteLegion t-shirt.
Oct. 26: PLU vs. Lewis & Clark at East Field (12 p.m.)
Series History: The Lutes have utterly dominated the all-time series, enjoying a 42-4-5 advantage since the series began in 1981. Last year the Lutes defeated the Pios twice by a combined 7-1 scoreline while earning a 2-0 win over the Pios back on Sept. 28.
About the Pioneers: Lewis & Clark (5-7-2, 4-5-1 NWC) heads to Tacoma after posting a pair of shutouts last weekend in Oregon.
The Pioneers battled to a scoreless draw against George Fox University last Saturday at home before picking up a 3-0 win at the expense of Pacific the following day.
Nine Pios have scored a goal this season with Julia Markmann pacing the squad in both goals (2) and points (5). Megan Sawyer has seen the most action in goal for the Pios, making seven starts and owning a 1.40 goals against average with 20 saves on the season.
Oct. 27: PLU vs. Pacific at East Field (12 p.m.)
Oct. 27: PLU vs. Pacific at East Field (12 p.m.)
Series History: The all-time series is tilted 44-16-10 in favor of the Lutes with PLU winning the last five encounters. The Lutes took the first meeting of the season 4-0 on Sept. 29, piling on three goals in the opening half in Forest Grove.
About the Boxers: Pacific (3-9-1, 1-8-1 NWC) heads into the weekend looking to snap a four-game slide. The Boxers edged Whitman 4-3 on Oct. 6 but have struggled since, dropping games against George Fox (1-0), University of Puget Sound (2-0), Linfield College (3-2), and Lewis & Clark (3-0).
Emma Gusman leads the team with three goals and seven points while Saya Brown is their primary keeper, logging 59 saves on the year with a 2.06 goals against average.
