Setting the Scene: The Lutes are road warriors this weekend with six Pacific Lutheran University athletic department programs hitting the road to Oregon to compete. Men's and women's soccer and volleyball face Pacific University and George Fox University while football battles Pacific on Saturday. Cross country heads to Independence, Oregon at the George Oja Invitational where the team will get a preview of the Northwest Conference meet that will be run at the same course two weeks later. 
 
FRIDAY:
MSOC at George Fox in Newberg, Ore. (5 p.m.)
VB at Pacific at Forest Grove, Ore. (7 p.m.)
WSOC at George Fox in Newberg, Ore. (7:45 p.m.)
SATURDAY:
XC at George Oja Invitational in Independence, Ore.
FB at Pacific in Forest Grove, Ore. (1 p.m.)
VB at George Fox in Newberg, Ore. (6 p.m.)
SUNDAY:
MSOC at Pacific in Forest Grove, Ore. (12 p.m.)
WSOC at Pacific in Forest Grove, Ore. (2:45 p.m.)
TUESDAY:
VB at Puget Sound in Tacoma, Wash. (7 p.m.)
WEDNESDAY:
MSOC hosts Puget Sound at East Field (4 p.m.)
WSOC hosts Puget Sound at East Field (6:45 p.m.)

Get with the Flo: Last summer the Northwest Conference signed an exclusive five-year deal with FloSports to be the live streaming platform of the Lutes and the rest of the conference.
 
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WINtober: The Lutes have been red-hot in the month of October with fall team sports combining for a 10-3-1 (.750) record during the month. That includes both men's soccer and volleyball sitting in first place in the Northwest Conference standings.

That autumnal success isn't limited to just 2026. Last October, Lute teams boasted a 22-3-4 (.828) record during the month and over the last four Octobers, PLU has an 81-11-9 record.
 
Men's Soccer: Halfway through the Northwest Conference slate and the Lutes (8-2-2, 6-1-1 NWC) sit tied for first place in the league standings with in-state rival Whitman College.

PLU enjoys the head-to-head tiebreaker on Whitman after defeating the Blues 1-0 on Saturday at East Field, getting a game-winner from Owen Harned in the 85th minute off a feed from Mike Murega. 

Pacific Lutheran wasn't so lucky on Sunday, falling 1-0 to Whitworth University despite outshooting the Pirates 18-6 on the day, including an 11-3 edge in shots on target.

Saturday's win was the squad's eighth shutout victory of the season as PLU's gritty defense has allowed just five goals through the first 12 games of the 2026 campaign.

Volleyball: The Lutes (14-3, 7-1 NWC) suffered their first setback in league play on Friday but still sit tied for first place at the halfway mark of the conference season.

PLU's nine-match win streak came to a halt on Friday, falling 3-0 to defending NWC Champion Whitworth. The Lutes rebounded the next day, taking down Whitman by a 3-1 scoreline in a game Shaela Allen-Greggs finished with 14 kills and a .353 attack percentage while Julissa Pernsteiner was equally as effective with 13 kills and a .314 attack percentage.
 
The Lutes currently sit tied with Whitworth atop the league standings with eight matches remaining in the season, including five on the road. 
 
Women's Golf: Jayda Thomas won her first tournament of the fall on Sunday, winning the Puget Sound Invitational by four strokes.

Thomas shot a 36-hole score of 146 to claim medalist honors at Oakbrook Golf Club. The senior shot a 75 on Saturday before wrapping things up on Sunday with a 71. Her efforts helped the Lutes finish runner-up as a team with a score of 652 (324-328). 
 
PLU finished 14 strokes ahead of tournament host and conference rival University of Puget Sound and 15 strokes ahead of in-state rival Whitman.
 
Thomas was additionally honored on Monday, winning NWC Golfer of the Week for the third time in her career. 
 
Men's Golf: Jack Brigham finished one stroke shy of medalist honors, helping Pacific Lutheran take second place at the Puget Sound Invitational on Sunday.

Brigham shot a 142 for the two-day tournament, finishing one under par. The first-year scorched the course on Saturday with a round of 67 before carding a 75 on Sunday. Brigham was the top Division III finisher at the tournament and on Monday was tabbed NWC Golfer of the Week. 

Soren Bostrom was fourth overall with a 147 while Tanner Frinell (148) was seventh. 
 
As a team, the Lutes shot a 599 (295-304), finishing 12 strokes back of Bellevue College.
 
The Lutes take the weekend off and will close out the fall on Oct. 25 & 26 at the Confluence Classic in Walla Walla, Washington. 
 
Women's Soccer: PLU (7-2-3, 5-1-2 NWC) hits the road with a three game win streak and a five match unbeaten run (4-0-1). 

The Lutes earned a pair of clean sheets over the weekend at East Field, taking down Whitman 2-0 on Saturday before engineering a 3-0 victory on Sunday at the expense of Whitworth.

Both Whits got a steady dose of Tia Schwetz who scored the game-winning goal against Whitman before scoring twice in the shutout of Whitworth. Abby Manolovitz tallied a goal and an assist over the weekend as did Liv Olson who provided Sunday's game-winning goal.

Schwetz was named the NWC Offensive Player of the Week on Monday while goalkeeper Mia Speir was tabbed NWC Defensive Player of the Week for the third time this fall. 

Mr. 200: Head Coach Seth Spidahl sits just one shy of his milestone 200th career win. The Lute alum is in his 14th season at the helm and would become just the second Lute coach to crack the 200-win barrier, joining Hall of Fame Coach Colleen Hacker (1981-1995) who won 233 games and three NAIA Championships.
 
Football: The Lutes (2-3, 1-1 NWC) overcame a rash of turnovers to defeat Willamette University in the conference opener back on Oct. 3 but couldn't replicate the feat on Saturday, yielding control of The Trophy to arch rival University of Puget Sound in the 102nd edition of the storied rivalry.
 
The Lutes had four turnovers in the homecoming clash, falling 23-13 and snapping a five-game win streak over the Loggers.

Dayton Savea had a big day, catching a 76-yard touchdown pass early in the second quarter and finishing with seven receptions for 157 yards. 

Preston Santi scored the Lutes' second touchdown of the day late in the fourth quarter, a three-yard reception from Anthony Mahaffey that capped off a 73-yard drive. 

Jackson Hale had a bust day, finishing with 13 tackles while Mason Taylor-Wells had 10 tackles and a quarterback hurry. 
 
Women's Cross Country: The Lutes are back in action for the first time since placing 14th as a team at the Frank Knott Classic at The Course in Spokane Valley, Washington.

Mariel Robles carried the torch for the Lutes as the top finisher, navigating the 6,000-meter route in 24 minutes, 38.7 seconds. That performance put Robles 78th among scoring runners and 10st overall. Ellie Norris (24:48.3) and Jessalyn Robles (24:53.3) both finished close behind with the latter notching a season-best time.
 
PLU finished tied for 14th in the team standings with conference rival Linfield University, scoring 428 points at the meet despite missing two of the squad's top runners.
 
Men's Cross Country: Justin Garrett led the Lutes at the Frank Knott Classic two weeks ago, finishing the 8,000-meter race in 27:57.3. Garrett led a tight knit pack for the Lutes with Isaiah Bradley (27:59.5) and Noah Friedrich (27:59.9) all finishing within three seconds of each other.

The Frank Knott Classic was a preview of the NCAA West Region Championships which will be held at The Course a month from now on November 14.  

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