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TACOMA, Wash. - - The Logger women's soccer team delivered a 5-0 victory over Lewis & Clark, claiming the title of Northwest Conference Champions and officially clinching a spot in the NCAA tournament.
Before the match, Puget Sound celebrated senior day, honoring four exceptional leaders: Gianna Maldonado, Sydney Boyd, Leila Hausia-Haugen and Zoe Witter.
How it Happened
The Loggers established total control from the start. Within the first 10 minutes, Kate Short and Sydney Boyd both forced saves from the goalkeeper, while Sofia Evans took shots on net that looked dangerous. Puget Sound completely dominated possession and outshot the visitors 15 to 0 in the opening half alone.
The relentless pressure finally broke through in the 27th minute. Ella Oetinger pushed the ball out wide and sent a sharp cross into the box, forcing a River Otter defender to accidentally redirect it into the net, making it 1-0.
Puget Sound doubled the lead when Anne Linggi bounced on a loose, miss handled ball from a Lewis & Clark defender. Linggi took space and calmly placed a shot into the net to make it 2-0.
Just before halftime, the Loggers struck again on a set piece. Ellie Rutkin stepped up to a free kick and buried a low shot into the right corner of the net. The ball slid right past the defensive wall and out of the goalie's reach, sending Puget Sound into halftime with a 3-0 lead.
The second half followed suit as the Loggers maintained high pressure. Although the first 15 minutes saw a defensive battle and many substitutions, Leila Hausia-Haugen kept the pressure high with a shot that required a save from the substitute goalkeeper.
In the 79th minute, Madi Jarzynka created space and ripped a shot into the back of the net to extend the lead to 4-0. Fittingly, the exclamation mark came in the 87th minute when Zoe Witter scored the fifth and final goal, creating an unforgettable moment on senior day.
Maldonado anchored the backline for all 90 minutes. With the Logger defense limiting Lewis & Clark to just a single shot all game, Maldonado preserved the clean sheet as Puget Sound celebrated a 5-0 win and punched their ticket to the NCAA postseason.
Up Next
The Loggers stay home for a game against Linfield on November 1 at 1:45 p.m.
