TACOMA, WASH. --- The Pacific Lutheran Men's Soccer team defeated the Whitman Blues at home on Sunday in dominant fashion, winning 6-0. Senior Craig Johnson earned a hat trick while freshman Alvin Kamau scored his first two goals of his PLU career.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
 
The Lutes got the sunny Sunday afternoon started with an early goal from senior Craig Johnson off of the pass from senior Robby Guyer to give the Lutes a 1-0 lead just 12 minutes into the game. The Lutes continued to apply the pressure all day as shots came from nearly every Lute on the field. Seniors Dane Helle and Cole Dobson fired off two more shots right after Johnson had found the net, but both were saved by the Blues keeper. Following a yellow card issues to Whitman, senior Sammy Tafolla, junior Trevor Thompson, and Johnson continued to shoot on the offensive attack.
 
But in the 36^th minute, Johnson earned a penalty kick in which he would execute in the lower corner of the goal to put the Lutes up 2-0.
 
As the time was winding down in the first half, the Lutes young squad tried to add onto their lead and they did just that with 15 seconds remaining in the half, as freshman Alvin Kamau scored a sliding goal off of a dual assist from freshman Connor O'Brien and junior Christian Pineda. This goal was Kamau's first of his young PLU career, and also put the Lutes up 3-0 at the half.
 
The second half was once again entirely controlled by the Lutes offense, firing a shot every couple minutes. Following another Blues yellow card, the Lutes executed as Johnson scored his third goal of the day on a free kick from the corner, giving him his first hat-trick of the season.
 
But just before Kamau would be subbed out in the 67^th minute, he scored a goal off of his head with a pass from Thompson. Kamau earned not only his first goal of his career but also his second in the same game.
 
As some reserves made it onto the field for the Lutes, freshman Connor O'Brien made quick work of his minutes by also scoring his first goal of his PLU career in the 76^th minute. This goal would seal the deal for the Lutes as they would go on to win 6-0.
 
INSIDE THE STATS
 
Johnson's hat trick is his first of the season, but also put him ahead of his brother, Derek Johnson, on the PLU All-Time Scoring List. Johnson took five shots in the game, scoring on three, in just 61 minutes played.
 
Tafolla took the most shots for the Lutes with seven, but his three on target were all saved. Thompson, Pineda, Guyer, and O'Brien all earned assists in the game.
 
The Lutes took a whopping 31 shots over the 90-minute contest, with 14 of which being on goal. Senior Lute goalkeeper Nicholas Gaston earned a shutout on Saturday while making two saves.
 
WHAT'S NEXT?
 
The Lutes Men's Soccer team will hit the road for five consecutive games. Next weekend, the Lutes will take on George Fox and Linfield Universities at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday in Newberg, Ore. and Sunday in McMinnville, Ore.
 
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