MCMINNVILLE, Ore. --- The Pacific Lutheran University Women's Soccer team (9-1-3, 8-0-1 NWC) swept the season series against the Linfield Wildcats (4-5-4, 3-5-2 NWC) on Saturday, earning a 3-1 win on the road.
 
PLU took their conference unbeaten streak into Oregon on Saturday, as last weekend's hero Bella Hanna fired the first shot in the seventh minute, but found the crossbar. Liv Olson gathered the rebound from Hanna's shot and fired a shot of her own, beating the keeper and putting the Lutes up 1-0 early in the contest. Hanna earns the assist for her attempt coming back into play.
 
Winkler's lone save in the contest came in the 21^st minute, as the Lutes defense played a lockdown first half, not allowing another shot in the half. Senior forward Hannah Cecil provided even more of an offensive spark in the 25^th minute, working with Katelyn McDougal and Kiana Gutierrez to give the Lutes a 2-0 lead at halftime.
 
Cecil and Julia Causbie continued the pressure to open the second half, with Causbie's show being saved. Moments later, Cecil notched her second score of the game, and further extending the PLU lead to 3-0. The offense behind Gutierrez and Boehm looked to extend the lead late in the half, but could not beat the Wildcat keeper. Linfield's second shot of the final half came in the 83^rd minute, which got past Winkler and ended the Lutes shutout. PLU adds their eighth win of NWC play, and sweeps the season series against the Wildcats, outscoring them 5-1 on the season.
 
The Lutes got it done on both sides of the ball on Saturday, outshooting the Wildcats 11-3, with four Lutes shots on target, to Linfield's two. The Lutes defense allowed just two shots in the second half where they surrendered their first goal of the season to Linfield. Cecil and Olivia Boehm accounted for three shots a piece, with Cecil's two on frame finding the back of the net. Lutes Goalkeeper Abby Winkler had to make just one save, which came in the first half.
 
"Great start to the second half of Northwest Conference play, we performed pretty well today and I felt we were a bit unlucky to not score a couple more goals. But that's a credit to Linfield, they are pesky and they defended all the way until the end. They were always in the game, so we had to stay concentrated." Said Lutes Head Coach Seth Spidahl following the road win.
 
"It was great to see Liv Olson get her first goal of the year, and also nice to see Hannah stay on-track with a couple goals. Jaden Saucelo played really well today on the right, and Zoe Markquart put in some valuable minutes up front. It was a good team win, we continue to make progess, and we have a really tough game tomorrow against Willamette. We know it will be a tough game, so we have to rest up and recover for tomorrow, we have a lot of respect for what they [Willamette] has done. Excited to keep the season going, and get better tomorrow. Go Lutes!"
 
The Lutes look to stay hot on Sunday, in a matchup against the Willamette Bearcats at 2:45 p.m. on the road.
 
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