Sept. 19, 2006

MEN’S SOCCER: PLU Faces Three Matches in Three Days

2006 PLU Season Statistics

THIS WEEK: PLU at George Fox, Saturday, 2:30 p.m.; PLU hosts Simon Fraser, Sunday, 2:30 p.m.; PLU at Western Washington, Monday, 7 p.m.

THREE TIMES TWO: Ahead for Pacific Lutheran is a very difficult part of the schedule – three matches in three days. PLU plays George Fox in a Northwest Conference counter at 2:30 p.m. Saturday, then has a couple of non-conference matches on the schedule. The Lutes host Canadian school Simon Fraser at 2:30 p.m. Sunday, then travel to Bellingham for a 7 p.m. match on Monday night. The George Fox match, of course, holds the most interest for the Lutes because of the importance of the conference standings. Currently, PLU is 1-0 and tied for third in the conference and George Fox is in last with a 0-2 record, but it is much too early in the season to make any determinations based on that information. In fact, in compiling a 4-2-1 overall record, George Fox has already scored 16 goals this season. Forward Matt Gurlides has five goals, and forward Garrett Blizzard has two goals and four assists, for the Bruins already this season.

ANOTHER SHUTOUT WIN FOR PLU: Pacific Lutheran won its third straight match—all of them by shutout—with a 3-0 victory last Saturday against the Pacific Boxers. The contest marked the Northwest Conference season opener for the Lutes. Junior forward Mike Ferguson (Sumner, Wash. / Sumner HS) scored the first goal, and freshman forward Baard Asker (Oslo, Norway / Wang) had his second consecutive two-goal game with tallies in the first and second halves. Sophomore forward Derek Karamatic (Gig Harbor, Wash. / Gig Harbor HS) came off the bench and infused some energy into the PLU attack, assisting on the first two goals that came within a minute of each other.

CROFT RECEIVES NWC HONOR: Sophomore goalkeeper Andrew Croft (Kenmore, Wash. / Inglemoor HS) notched the shutout against Pacific and earned Northwest Conference Defensive Player of the Week honors. Croft had to make only two saves as the Lute defense limited the Boxers to just seven shots. Baard Asker earned honorable mention recognition as NWC Offensive Player of the Week.

LUTES BREAK INTO REGION'S TOP 10: Previously unranked Pacific Lutheran moved into the NSCAA West Region Top 10, earning the No. 10 spot in this week's coaches poll. Some of the coaches who vote may not have heard that the Lutes defeated Colorado College, 6-0, in Colorado Springs, because Colorado College is ranked No. 8, two spots ahead of the Lutes. Of course, most of the early season voting is based on reputation, and Colorado College does have a stronger soccer-playing reputation that does PLU.

LUTE LEADERS: With a pair of two-goal performances among the last three matches, Baard Asker is the Lutes’ leading scorer with four goals and one assist for nine points. Mike Ferguson has three goals this season and 27 in his career, which puts him on a pace to challenge the PLU career goal-scoring record of 49 set by Brian Gardner (1986-89). Joining that duo atop the PLU scoring chart is Derek Karamatic with two goals and three assists for seven points. Andrew Croft has been solid in goal with 15 saves and a 0.52 goals against average.

HEAD COACH: John Yorke is in his fifth season at PLU (his alma mater) and has a 40-39-4 overall record.

- PLU -