PLU UNVEILS VICTORY CAMPAIGN TO CELEBRATE 125 YEARS
In honor of Pacific Lutheran's 125th anniversary in 2015, PLU Athletics has kicked off a "Drive to 125" – an effort to notch 125 wins across all sports during the 2014-15 academic year.
Team victories for each of PLU's 19 varsity athletic programs will be tallied throughout the year, with displays around campus keeping track of the current win count. Limited-time-only commemorative apparel and gear will be available at the Garfield Book Company and in pop-up locations around campus, as well as at luteworld.plu.edu.
"The idea for 'Drive to 125' was suggested by (associate athletic director) Jen Thomas, and I thought it was a great opportunity to uplift the university's 125th celebration throughout the year" PLU athletic director Laurie Turner said. "This has provided an internal opportunity to bring all our athletes and coaches together to achieve a common goal. It will take a team effort to achieve."
With the fall seasons kicking off on Aug. 29, the Lutes have already totaled 23 wins this season: 10 from volleyball, six from men's soccer, five from women's soccer and two from football. The Drive continues this weekend, as the 14th-ranked PLU football team hosts No. 5 Linfield on Homecoming Saturday at 1 p.m., following the annual PLU Cross Country Invitational on campus. The volleyball and soccer teams will be looking to add to their win totals on the road this weekend.
As PLU celebrates a historic 125 years, Lute fans and friends are invited to buy the gear, show their team spirit and help support PLU student-athletes on their quest to 125 wins.
DOCKYARD DERBY DAMES RETURN FOR NINTH SEASON OCT. 4
Calling all derby fans. The Dockyard Derby Dames are back for season nine. There is an exciting change to this year’s season. The Dames will be hosting an outside team at each bout. For the first bout, watch season eight champs, the Marauding Mollys, take on the Andromedolls from the Emerald City Roller Girls. Then the home teams Femme Fianna and The Trampires will square-off.
The beer garden will be open to those 21-and-over and VIP tickets are available, which guarantees a seat close to the action. VIP tickets include an exclusive poster, two beverages from the beer garden, and a special VIP skater bar tender that can answer all of your questions about roller derby.
Buy-four-and-get-one-ticket packages are available for groups. Advance tickets are $12 and $15 at the door. VIP tickets are $20 and only available to fans 21 years and older. Kids five and under are free at the door. Doors open at 5 p.m. and the first bout will begin at 6 p.m. Visit http://www.dockyardderbydames.com for more details.
TACOMA BEGINS SOCCER TRYOUTS OCT. 19
The Tacoma Stars of the Western Indoor Soccer League (WISL) will hold their public open tryouts on Sunday October 19 from 3-6 PM at the Tacoma Soccer Center. Players are asked to register online at tacomastars.wordpress.com. The Tacoma Soccer Center is located at 2610 E. Bay Street off of I-5.
Trialists must register and pay in advance. Players cannot enter the field until they have paid their $25 trial fee. Bring indoor soccer shoes, as cleats are NOT allowed. Tacoma Stars head coach Darren Sawatzky will conduct the tryouts. Tryouts are open to ages 16 and older. Players participate at their own risk.
Players with semi-pro indoor/outdoor soccer experience may contact the Stars in advance of the open tryouts at thetacomastars@gmail.com.
LADY LOGGERS SCORE THREE IN SECOND HALF TO TOP WILLAMETTE
Annie Jonsson scored twice as the Puget Sound women's soccer team netted three-second half goals to defeat Willamette 5-2 on Sunday afternoon.
In a game filled with goals, four different Loggers found the back of the net. Cassie Winter curved one over the goalkeeper's head from a nearly impossible angle on a pass from Robin Vieira in the 17th minute. Vieria scored her third of the year in the 27th minute on a cross from Annie Jonsson. Seconds into the second half, Jonsson knocked one in using her head off a corner kick from Jill Shimabuku. In the 55th minute, Amalia Acorda-Fey fired one into the goal after the initial shot from Vieira and Liz Blonden was blocked. To seal the win for Puget Sound, Jonsson beat the defense to score again in the 71st minute on a long ball from Shimabuku.
Beginning the game, the Loggers (6-1, 4-0 NWC) and Bearcats (2-6, 1-3 NWC) battled for possession. Winter's goal in the 17th minute gave Puget Sound the momentum moving forward. The Loggers took four more shots until Vieira found the back of the net in the 27th minute. In the 31st minute, Willamette scored on a cross from the right side. Minutes before the end of the first half, the Bearcats tied the game on a shot from 25 yards out.
Heading into the second half knotted at two, the Loggers struck early. Shimabuku's corner kick found the head of Jonsson for the go-ahead goal. The Loggers went up 4-2 as Acorda-Fey scored in the 54th minute. To sweeten the win, Jonsson netted her second goal of the game and fourth goal of the year in the 71st minute. The Puget Sound defense held the Bearcats without a shot in the second half to secure the 5-2 win.
The Loggers outshot the Bearcats (21-6) and had more corner kicks (5-1). Willamette recorded 17 fouls while the Loggers fouled seven times. Goalkeeper Lauren Thomas recorded two saves in the win, both in the first half. Vieira led the Loggers in shots with seven.
Puget Sound looks to carry the winning momentum forward as it travels to take on Whitman and Whitworth on Saturday, Oct. 4 and Sunday, Oct. 5.
SEATTLE IMPACT TO VISIT TACOMA FOR FRIENDLY WITH STARS
Seattle Impact FC of the professional national Major Arena Soccer League and the Tacoma Stars of the semi-professional regional Western Indoor Soccer League announce that the two clubs will play a pre-season friendly on Saturday, Oct. 25 at the Tacoma Soccer Center to celebrate indoor soccer in the Northwest and the upcoming arrival of both sides’ regular seasons.
“Seattle Impact FC are excited to work with the Tacoma Stars in making this a special occasion,” said Impact owner Dion Earl. “We hope to work with the Stars and the WISL to build up arena soccer in the Puget Sound area.”
The Seattle Impact FC are preparing for their first season in the MASL as a professional club on a national stage with a home slate of matches to be played at Kent’s Showare Center. The Impact season begins Saturday, Nov. 8 when they host the San Diego Sockers.
The Tacoma Stars are helping launch the Western Indoor Soccer League, a regional indoor semi-pro league for players to keep amateur status while crafting their skills and entertaining supporters in local indoor soccer centers.
“The Tacoma Stars look forward to the opportunity to play the Impact and to give our fans a treat at home in the Tacoma Soccer Center,” said Stars owner Lane Smith. “We think we can give them a good match and we are thankful the two clubs are doing this together.”
The match will feature several former Tacoma Stars favorites who are now playing with the Impact.
Tickets will be $10 for adults and $5 for kids ages 12 and younger. An upcoming release will announce when tickets will go on sale as well as further event details.
Fans can follow the build-up to the Stars debut season in the WISL via the club’s website at TacomaStars.wordpress.com. Impact news is available at http://www.SeattleImpactFC.com.
LADY LUTES TAKE THIRD STRAIGHT WITH 3-0 WIN OVER GEORGE FOX
Pacific Lutheran got on the board early and added two more in the second period to pick up a 3-0 Northwest Conference women's soccer victory over George Fox Sunday, Sept. 28.
Machaela Graddy scored her second goal of the season in the third minute of play, as Emily Hanna sent a cross to the left side and Graddy dribbled past George Fox goalkeeper Ally Swanson and sent the ball past for the score.
The Lutes had several opportunities to add to their tally in the first period and even more in the second, out-shooting the Bruins 18-2 and forcing Swanson to make seven saves. They finally broke through again in the second half, as a PLU corner kick bounced off the hands of Swanson and right to Hailey Smoot, who knocked it up off the base of the crossbar and into the net during the 69th minute of play.
PLU's final goal came in the 85th minute, as a free kick from the top of the box saw Hanna and Lauren Larson pass to Kelly White, who sent the shot in the left side of the net to make it 3-0. Takara Mitsui picked up her third shutout of the season, playing all 90 minutes in goal while saving one ball.
The win improves PLU's record to 5-2-1 overall and 3-1 in the NWC, while George Fox falls to 0-6-2 overall and 0-4 in conference play. PLU heads east next, with the Lutes set to take on Whitworth on Saturday, Oct. 3 and Whitman on Sunday, Oct. 4. PLU returns home with a pair against Linfield and Willamette on Oct. 11 and 12 at Noon.
PLU LOOKS STRONG ON THE ROAD WITH 38-14 SHOWING IN TEXAS
Dalton Ritchey scored four rushing touchdowns and threw for another and 16th-ranked Pacific Lutheran more than doubled Trinity's yardage total in a 38-14 nonconference football win over the Tigers Saturday, Sept. 27 at Trinity Football Stadium.
The Lutes compiled 467 yards of total offense, with 259 through the air and 208 on the ground. Niko Madison continued his strong start to the season with 105 yards on 14 carries, an average of 7.5 yards per attempt, but Ritchey was the star of the day for the Lutes. The three-year starting quarterback rushed nine times for 81 yards and a career-best four touchdowns and threw for 244 yards on 20-of-27 passing with another score and two interceptions.
Kellen Westering grabbed a game-high eight catches for 79 yards, while Ben Welch caught five passes and Kyle Warner snagged three receptions for 63 yards and a touchdown. On defense, Doug Sullivan and Blake Peterson each finished with eight tackles, while Kyle Bennett tallied seven tackles, including a sack, and recovered a fumble.
Travis Williams scored both touchdowns for Trinity, running for 73 yards and the two scores on 15 carries. Mason Blachke and Robert Broyles combined to throw for only 85 yards on 10-of-26 passing, as the PLU defense limited Trinity to 195 yards of total offense.
The game started on a sour note for both teams, as the Lutes' first drive ended in an interception before Trinity missed a 46-yard field goal. A three-and-out on PLU's next drive gave way to a Trinity fumble that gave PLU the ball at the Trinity 30-yard line. Ritchey connected with Warner for a 30-yard touchdown on the first play, and the Lutes led 7-0.
The Tigers had a chance to respond as a short kickoff led and a 51-yard return gave them the ball at the PLU 29. Seven plays later and on fourth-and-3, Williams picked up four yards and a game-tying touchdown.
PLU followed that with an eight-play drive covering 76 yards, as Ritchey plunged into the end zone from one yard out to again put PLU on top. Midway through the second quarter, Dalton scored on a 21-yard run to cap an eight-play, 91-yard drive to make it 21-7 PLU.
Trinity was not ready to give up, however, twice converting on fourth-down to score on a 13-play, 50-yard drive and pull within a touchdown with less than two minutes remaining before halftime. That was plenty of tie for the PLU offense, as Ritchey accounted for all 71 yards in a seven-play drive that saw the PLU quarterback complete four of five pass attempts for 39 yards and rush twice for 32 yards. The key rush was a 15-yard touchdown run to put PLU back up by 14 at 28-14 going into halftime.
Neither team scored again until late in the third quarter, when a seven-play, 74-yard PLU drive stalled at the Trinity 6-yard line. Dallan Rodriguez stepped in to kick the 23-yard field goal to make it 31-14. The final points of the game came on PLU's next drive, as Ritchey directed a 10-play drive 64 yards down the field and capped it with a 1-yard scoring run on fourth-and-goal.
Pacific Lutheran improved to 2-0 this season, while Trinity fell to 1-3. The Lutes return home Saturday, Oct 4 to open Northwest Conference play with a Homecoming rivalry matchup against sixth-ranked Linfield. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. at Sparks Stadium in Puyallup.