Tacoma, Wash. -- After three home matches to start the 2026 season, the Thunder women's soccer team hit the road for the first time by traveling to Washington state for a pair of non-conference games in the Seattle area. Wheaton began its extended weekend with a match against Pacific Lutheran University this evening, facing the Lutes for the first time since 2021 and just the second time in program history. The hosts won Thursday's game by a score of 2-0 courtesy of a goal in each half. Wheaton's record is now 1-3 overall while PLU improves to 2-1 on the year.
The visitors started the contest brightly, with the midfield duo of
Calah Strong and
Lily Lindquist each testing the opposition goalkeeper from long range inside the first three minutes. Effective work from
Cami Tofilon on the right wing then produced another shot on target, as
Olivia Martin delivered a first-time finish that the Lutes' shot-stopper grabbed onto.
But Wheaton's wave of momentum was broken when Pacific Lutheran opened the scoring in the 24th minute following an incisive through-ball down the right channel. The accurate pass led to a well-taken early strike which bounced off the inside of the left post into the top corner of the Thunder's goal. This opening tally and PLU's subsequent defensive organization halted Wheaton's early pressure, and the remainder of the first half passed without any clear opportunities for either side apart from a disallowed goal for the Lutes five minutes before the break. The NWC squad took a slim 1-0 advantage into the halftime interval.
The teams exchanged corner kicks in the opening two minutes of the second half and Pacific Lutheran failed to capitalize on a 1v1 opportunity in front of goal, before Lindquist notched a second effort on frame with another long-distance attempt. But the Lutes were reenergized by the break and ramped up their pressure in the second period. After being held to just two shots through the first 45 minutes of play, the home side took 12 after halftime and directed five of those strikes on target. The lead was doubled in the 68th minute when PLU's goal-scoring midfielder latched onto an attempted clearance and blasted home her follow-up effort from close range after initially being denied by an impressive stop from
Lydia Martin.
Rather than sitting back and only defending their advantage on the scoreboard, the Lutes continued to press forward and rattled off three more shots on goal in the following minutes. Wheaton managed to repel these efforts and keep its host on two goals, but PLU smothered the Thunder attack at the other end and saw out its clean sheet victory without offering the guests concrete hope of a late comeback.
Pacific Lutheran finished the game with a 14-8 disparity in shot attempts and put six efforts on frame compared to Wheaton's four. The Lutes enjoyed a 55-45% possession advantage for the entire contest despite getting out-possessed by Wheaton in the first half. The home side took four corner kicks to the Thunder's three, and only six fouls were called in a clean meeting.
Lindquist led the team with two attempts on target this evening, while Martin and Strong each had one.
Lydia Martin tallied four saves in goal on Thursday.
The Thunder will get to experience a rare day off between weekend contests tomorrow before traveling to PLU's Tacoma neighbor on Saturday. Wheaton will next face the University of Puget Sound in a match that kicks off at 2:45 PM local time/4:45 PM Central on the 12th.
