TACOMA, Wash. – For the second straight season, the Pacific Lutheran University men's soccer team is headed to the NCAA Tournament. The Lutes have been shipped to the frigid Midwest for the second year in a row and will play North Park University in Chicago on Saturday at 11:00 a.m. PST.
PLU (14-4-2) earned the Northwest Conference's automatic spot in the NCAA Tournament by winning its third consecutive NWC title with a win over the University of Puget Sound on Saturday.
Sophomore forward
Keeton Heggerness earned the league's final Player of the Week nod of the season after scoring the game-winning goal against the Loggers just 8:14 into the match. It is the second award of the season for the Gig Harbor native.
Heggerness and freshman teammate
Zak Gregg are tied to the team and conference lead with 15 goals, while Heggerness holds a slim 33-32 edge in points to top the league. Senior
Jackson Moore has also been a critical piece of the Lute attack, scoring nine goals and assisting on five more.
Ryan Griffith is tied for the conference lead with eight assists on the year, which also leads the Lutes.
The Vikings (15-4-1) earned the rugged College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin's automatic berth. North Park's Peder Olsen should be a marked man on Saturday as he has scored 19 goals on the year and added six assists. Gianfranco DeCarne is also a dangerous part of the NPU attack with five goals and a team-high nine assists.
North Park has been tough on its home turf this season and sports an 11-1 record. The Vikings are currently ranked 19
th in the nation by the United Soccer Coaches.
If the Lutes win, they will play the winner of Colorado College and Gustavus Adolphus College on Sunday at 1:00 p.m. All-time, PLU is 0-2 in the NCAA Tournament.
