MCMINNVILLE, Ore. --- The Pacific Lutheran Men's Soccer team (9-1-3, 7-0-2 NWC) handled business on the opening game of the weekend series in Oregon, defeating the Linfield Wildcats (2-11-1, 1-8-1 NWC), with Trevor Thompson scoring twice and adding an assist.
 
Linfield fired the first shot of the contest, just 23-seconds into the game, but sailed well above the Lutes net. Senior forward Trevor Thompson, giving his best effort to chase down teammate Craig Johnson in the all-time goals, assists, and points records at PLU, ripped two shots in response. The latter was saved in the 10^th minute, but ricocheted back into play, where senior Christian Pineda scored on the open frame to put the Lutes up 1-0 early.
 
In the first matchup, the Lutes shutout the Wildcats, 5-0 on home turf. But the Linfield offense would not go quietly to begin the final matchup of the season. As they led the Lutes in shot attempts in the first half. With three Wildcat shots finding the frame, but earned saved for Lutes senior goalkeeper Nicholas Gaston. As the Lutes took a 1-0 lead into the break, senior defender Cole Dobson had also picked up a yellow card in the 22^nd minute.
 
Head Coach John Yorke's halftime changes helped the Lutes extend their lead just 68 seconds into the final half, as Thompson beat the keeper thanks to a pass from senior Jared Dubinsky. PLU's defense stifled the Wildcats through the first 20 minutes of the half, holding Linfield to just one shot. But that defense wouldn't hold much longer, as the Wildcats scored their first goal of the season against the Lutes in the 69^th minute to cut the deficit to just one score.
 
Gaston made a pair of crucial saves in the 70^th and 78^th minutes to maintain the Lutes unbeaten streak in conference play. These saves paved the way for Thompson to notch his fifth point and second goal of the day in the 82^nd minute. The senior's score gave the Lutes enough insurance to coast to a 3-1 victory over the Wildcats, and sweeping the season series. Quinn Bieber and Misha Turchaninov also picked up yellow cards in the second half.
 
PLU won the shots battle, taking 25 to the Wildcats 16, as well as having 14 on goal to the Wildcats six. Thompson added five points to his already top-ten all-time total, as he scored two goals and earned the assist on Pineda's score to start the game. Thompson also took a total of 10 shots in the game, meanwhile Lutes goalkeeper Nicholas Gaston made five saves.
 
The Lutes round out the weekend road trip tomorrow afternoon in Salem, Ore against the Willamette Bearcats at 12 p.m.
 
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