BATTLE BACK EAST
With just two weeks to go in the 2007 regular season, the fourth-ranked Puget Sound Loggers are in the drivers seat of the Northwest Conference title race. The quest for a sixth-straight Northwest Conference title will not get any easier this week as UPS travels to Spokane on Saturday to take on Whitworth and to Walla Walla on Sunday for a tilt with Whitman.
The Loggers vs. Pacific Lutheran
Led by a pair of goals from sophomore forward Janece Levien (Beaverton, Ore.), the fourth-ranked Puget Sound Loggers pushed their record-breaking winning streak to 15 games, defeating the Pacific Lutheran Lutes, 4-0, in a Northwest Conference women's soccer game on Wednesday afternoon on East Athletic Field in Tacoma, Wash.
Levien put the Loggers (15-0-0, 11-0-0 NWC) ahead in the 18th minute after heading in a cross from Melissa Abellanida (Pukalani, Hawaii/King Kekaulike) to give UPS a 1-0 lead over the Lutes (3-10-2, 2-8-1 NWC). Levien struck again in the 31st minute, this time assisted by senior forward Adrienne Folsom (Lakewood, Wash./Charles Wright Academy). Junior reserver Nikki Graff (Corvallis, Ore./Crescent Valley) made it 3-0 for the Loggers with a goal int he 40th minute.
The only goal of the second half came in the 66th minute when Fiona Gornick (Portland, Ore./Grant) fired in a shot to give Puget Sound the 4-0 win. Freshman reserve Katie Wheeler (Oregon City, Ore.) made the only save for the Loggers after coming in for Kallie Wolfer (Salt Lake City, Utah/Skyline) to begin the second half.
Amanda Tschauner was strong for the Lutes, making 15 saves in the loss. The Loggers outshot the Lutes by a total of 31-6.
The Loggers vs. Linfield
In their final home game of the 2007 regular season, the fourth-ranked Puget Sound Loggers picked up their 16th victory of the season with a 4-0 win over the Linfield Wildcats in a Northwest Conference women's soccer match on Saturday afternoon on East Athletic Field in Tacoma.
The Loggers (16-0-0, 12-0-0 NWC) took the lead in the sixth minute when senior Katie Gillette (Fairbanks, Alaska/West Valley) took a pass from Janece Levien (Beaverton, Ore.) for the goal and a 1-0 lead. Puget Sound made it 2-0 in the 18th minute when Levien scored her NWC-leading 16th goal of the season on a gross from Fiona Gornick (Portland, Ore./Grant). Just a few minutes later, Gornick made it 3-0 Loggers after firing in a shot from just about five yards out. Puget Sound picked up the final goal of the game in the 30th minute when Melissa Abellanida (Pukalani, Hawaii/King Kekaulike) took a rebound from a defender and booted the ball into the net for a 4-0 Logger victory.
Freshman Katie Wheeler (Oregon City, Ore.) got the start at goalkeeper and made five saves to collect the shutout. Kelsey Hasselblad made eight saves for Linfield but allowed the four goals.
National Attention
The Loggers head into their third straight week as the fourth ranked team in the nation, according to the NSCAA/adidas National Rankings.
Statistically Speaking
The Loggers as a team lead the NWC in a number of categories, including shots (401), points (131), goals (50), goals allowed (6), goals against average (0.38), shutouts (12), corners (86), and attendance (238 avg/g). Individually, Janece Levien leads the NWC in shots (95), points (34) and goals (16). Sophomore keeper Kallie Wolfer is tops in goals against average (0.42).
On the national stage, the Loggers are eighth in shutout percentage (0.75) and 10th in goals against average (0.375). Kallie Wolfer is 17th nationally in goals against average (0.421) while Janece Levien is 23rd in goals per game (1.0).
Scouting Whitworth
Having one of the best seasons in school history, the Pirates head into this week's game with the Loggers with a 14-1-0 record overall and an 11-1-0 record in NWC. Last week, Whitworth was victorious at home with games against George Fox and Willamette. The Bucs, ranked 14th in the latest NSCAA/adidas national rankings, lost their only game of the year at Puget Sound on Sep. 30. Kaylyn Plumb leads the Whitworth offense with eight goals in 15 games played. In net, Krista Dietz has seen most of the time in goal, allowing 11 goals in 1181:15 for a 0.84 GAA.
Scouting Whitman
The Missionaries have been hot as of late, winning their past five games for an overall record of 8-5-2 and 7-3-2 in the NWC. Last week, they put up a pair of shutout wins over Willamette and George Fox. Kristen Berndt is second in the NWC with 10 goals on the year, trailing only Janece Levien of Puget Sound. In net, Courtney Porter has allowed 13 goals in 1491:31 for a 0.78 GAA.
The Coach
Leading the Loggers in 2007 is six-time Northwest Conference Coach of the Year Randy Hanson, who has put together a record of 167-49-21 through the weekend in 11 seasons with the Loggers.
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