TACOMA, Wash. --- The Pacific Lutheran Men's Soccer team (10-1-5, 8-0-4 NWC) cruised to an 8-0 victory at home against the Lewis & Clark Pioneers (0-15-0, 0-11-0 NWC), scoring their most goals in a shutout since September 23^rd, 2023, against George Fox (9-0). Seniors Craig Johnson and Trevor Thompson recorded hat tricks in the game, while Johnson officially broke the PLU Men's Soccer All-Time Career Goals Scored record (51); passing alumni Eddie Na (50).
 
PLU wasted no time against the winless Pioneers on Sunday, as Trevor Thompson continued his chase towards Johnson in all-time goals, assists, and points records. Thompson scored in the fifth minute off of a pass from Johnson to give the Lutes the first lead of the game.
 
19-minutes later, Thompson broke free yet again, and executing on his third shot of the game to put the Lutes up 2-0 early in the game. The PLU defense showed their strength through the start of the game, holding the Pioneers without a shot until the 38^th minute that earned goalkeeper Nicholas Gaston his first save of the game.
 
In the 41^st minute, Johnson got a goal of his own off of a pass from Quinn Bieber to extend the lead to 3-0. Just 23-seconds later, Bieber found the back of the net for his third goal of the season, earning sophomore Yuta Shimazu the assist. Following a Pioneers shot on-goal being saved by Gaston, Johnson took the counter attack the length of the field with Thompson to score a third goal in a matter of one minute and five seconds. The offensive duo held two goals and one assist a-piece in this first half as the Lutes led 5-0.
 
Less than three-minutes into the final half, Johnson and Thompson connected again to put the Lutes up 6-0 over Lewis & Clark. Johnson's first hat trick of the season earned him his 51^st goal of his career and passed alumni Eddie Na in the career goals scored record. He now holds the career goals and points records just ahead of Thompson, with both vying close to the top spot for career assists.
 
A wave of substitutions brought on by Head Coach John Yorke, the Lutes earned a corner kick that was taken by Caden Davis. Davis found junior Mattias Anderson for the goal; Anderson's first of his PLU career. 48-seconds later, Thompson matched Johnson with his first hat trick of the season and gave the Lutes a commanding 8-0 lead.
 
Throughout the remainder of the second half, every active Lute saw playing time, with the bench accounting for nine of the Lutes 20 total shots as a team. The defense, featuring two goalkeepers, Gio Aguilar-Gutierrez and Landon Gordan, held Lewis & Clark to just one-shot attempt in the second half, closing the game with a 8-0 shutout victory. The three points earned with the win, keeps the Lutes atop the Northwest Conference standings by three-points over George Fox, who the Lutes host next weekend.
 
The Lutes attempted 20 shots in the game, with 15 finding the target; Lewis & Clark had three shots, with all on-goal. Every active Lute saw minutes in the contest, with Johnson taking three shots in his three goals, Thompson took five and scored three, and Mike Murega took four with all four considered on-target. Anderson and Bieber scored goals off the bench for the Lutes. Gaston made two saves in his one-half of play at goalkeeper.
 
The Lutes continue the homestand next weekend, as they are set to host Pacific and George Fox on Saturday and Sunday at 11 a.m.
 
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