TACOMA, Wash. --- The Pacific Lutheran Women's Soccer team earned their second draw of the home-opening weekend, holding off No.16 Case Western Reserve on Saturday.
 
Case Western began the game in control of the possession for the first 15 minutes, as junior goalkeeper Abby Winkler made an array of saves. On a counter attack, Olivia Boehm got the first shot past the defense for the Lutes, missing wide.
 
Over the next 20 minutes, both squads defenses played lockdown and did not allow another shot until the 32^nd minute that was blocked by the Lutes. The Spartans made one final run in the closing minutes of the half, until Winkler maintained the shutout and a crucial save; the game remained tied 0-0 after the first 45 minutes.
 
Case Western fired the first shot of the second half in the 49^th minute that missed right. Boehm and the Lutes responded with a shot of their own shortly after, requiring a save from the Spartans goalkeeper.
 
From there the Spartans offense applied the pressure but was unable to get a clean shot off. On a counter attack in the 72^nd minute, senior Kayden Hulquist found forward Kiana Gutierrez as the striker's one-time shot got past the keeper to give the Lutes a 1-0 lead with 18 minutes remaining in the game.
 
Six minutes later, the Spartans gained momentum on an offensive push that found a gap in the Lutes defense and bent a ball just inside the right side of the Lutes goal to tie the game up at 1-1 in the 78^th minute.
 
Aside from a pair of shots down the left side from senior Julia Causbie, both defenses tightened up to end the game in a 1-1 draw. Saturday's draw ends the Lutes non-conference schedule with a 1-1-2 record after facing three top-25 ranked opponents.

"I asked the team for an NCAA-playoff-kind of gritty performance, certainly Case Western is another top-25 team that hadn't lost yet. I'm super proud of the group that played, we didn't sub a lot, and they just had to grind. We went up a goal, and I'm really happy for Kiana to score her first career goal at PLU. I was disappointed that we couldn't hold a lot of the lead, I think we got a little bit unlucky to get scored on. All in all, it was a great way to finish our non-conference preseason, and we learned a lot about our team. I like our potential, and we still have a lot of details to work on to be a championship team, but I feel we are on the right path. We have a couple weeks to rest and recover as well as a couple reserve games to focus on our entire team and to get some more people ready for Northwest Conference play. Excited about the future. Go Lutes!"
 
The Spartans outshot the Lutes 14-6 as they also had eight shots on goal to the Lutes three. Boehm and Causbie led the Lutes with two shots and one on-target each. Winkler had yet another strong showing with seven saves in the contest.
 
The Lutes earn a much-needed week off after going 1-1-2 in a non-conference schedule that featured three top-25 teams. They will return to action on September 21^st at home against Willamette at 2:45 p.m.
 
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