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Sept. 26, 2006
WOMEN’S SOCCER: Lutes Face Key Conference Road Trip THIS WEEK: PLU at Whitworth, Saturday, noon; PLU at Whitman, Sunday, noon. KEEP THE MOMENTUM: Pacific Lutheran (6-2-0 overall and 3-1-0 in the NWC) hopes to maintain the early season momentum it has built when it goes on its eastern Washington road trip this coming weekend. The Lutes play the Whitworth Pirates on Saturday and the Whitman Missionaries on Sunday. Whitworth should provide a real test for the Lutes as both teams have started off conference play with three wins in four matches. Whitworth is ranked No. 4 in the NSCAA Division III West Region poll and No. 25 in the national poll. Greta Thibodeau, who has four goals and two assists for 10 points, leads the Pirates in scoring. The defense has been stingy as goalkeeper Leah Motz has given up only six goals in seven matches, a 0.83 goals against average. Whitman, 1-2-1 in the conference, has given up 10 goals in five total matches, but they limited conference power Willamette to a single tally in a 1-0 defeat in Walla Walla. Erica Goad has a 1.80 goals against average and the Missionaries offense is paced by Kristen Beerndt and Sammie Arthur, both of whom have scored two goals. ONE STREAK BROKEN: When freshman midfielder Jenny McKinsey (Greenacres, Wash. / West Valley HS) scored late in the game against nationally ranked Puget Sound last Wednesday, she broke a string of eight straight matches in which the Lutes had failed to score against the Loggers. The goal also tied the score at 1-1, but the Loggers scored a couple of minutes later to pull out a 2-1 win in an evenly played match. UPS finished with 14 shots to PLU’s 12, and Loggers goalkeeper Kallie Wolfer was forced to make six saves. While the Lutes broke the scoreless drought against the Loggers, they still came up short on the scoreboard, making it 16 straight wins for the Loggers over the Lutes. Maybe next time. LUTES DUMP GEORGE FOX: Pacific Lutheran dominated the first half with 15 shots to only five for George Fox, but the Lutes had nothing to show for it. Then the second half started, and within a 32-second span the Lutes scored both of their goals in a 2-0 win. Jenny McKinsey and senior forward Jackie Oehmcke (Gig Harbor, Wash. / Gig Harbor HS) got credit for the goals. A STREAK OF HER OWN: Jenny McKinsey has a nice streak of her own going with goals in five consecutive matches and seven total this season. The last time a PLU player scored goals in that many matches was 1991 when All-America forward and PLU Hall of Fame member Cheryl Kragness scored in six straight contests. McKinsey is currently tied with Puget Sound’s Adrienne Folsom as top goal scorer among conference players. Not a bad year – already – for the freshman from Greenacres. CLEAN SHEETS: The Lutes had their streak of four straight shutouts ended at UPS, but they got right back to their “clean sheet” ways in a 2-0 win at George Fox. That gives PLU a total of six shutouts in eight matches this season. Junior goalkeeper Alyssa Blackburn (Sandy Utah / Judge Memorial Catholic HS) collected the shutout against George Fox and now has four to her credit. The other two go to sophomore Amanda Tschauner (Yakima, Wash. / West Valley HS). PLU has allowed just four goals all season and only Willamette, ranked No. 6 in the NSCAA Division III Top 25 national poll, has allowed fewer among Northwest Conference teams. The Bearcats have been stingy to the point of giving up only two goals in eight matches. LUTES HONORED: Jenny McKinsey and Alyssa Blackburn received honorable mention recognition for offensive and defensive player of the week in the conference for their performances in last week’s split of NWC contests against UPS and George Fox. LUTES MOVE UP ONE SPOT IN REGION RANKINGS: Pacific Lutheran moved up one spot from No. 8 to No. 7 in this week’s NSCAA West Region rankings. THE COACH: Jerrod Fleury, now in his fifth season as women's soccer head coach at his alma mater, is 42-38-6 at PLU. - PLU -
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