WALLA WALLA, Wash.  Expected harsh weather wasn't the only storm facing Whitman's women's soccer team Saturday afternoon at the Whitman Athletic Complex, as the rain from above seemed less of a threat than the quick start put forth by the visitors from the University of Puget Sound. The Loggers scored twice in the initial six minutes of the contest then somehow held off Whitman's onslaught of shots over the remaining 84 minutes to hang on to a 2-0 Northwest Conference victory.

Whitman (1-11-1, 1-7-1 NWC) surrendered the first seven shots of the game to Puget Sound (10-1-2, 7-0-2) and by the 25th minute the Loggers owned a 10-2 edge in shots. But from that point forward Whitman out shot the visitors 13-3 and forced UPS goalkeeper Lauren Thomas into making seven saves to keep her team's lead safe.

The initial push from Puget Sound determined Whitman's fate on the day, however.

The Loggers's Annie Prickett received a pass deep in the right corner from teammate Grayson Williams-Krebs, then beat Whitman goalie Haley Case from about eight feet out from the near post to lift UPS to a quick lead just 21 seconds into the contest.

Three shots and only a few minutes later Williams-Krebs notched a goal to push the Loggers to a 2-0 lead at the 6:05 mark.

That initial attacking rush didn't subside, either, after the second goal as Puget Sound sent three more shots toward the frame, one of which was blocked, one was saved by Case and the third sailed wide right.

Whitman finally tilted the field downhill, though, and had two good scoring opportunities in the ensuing minutes, only to have Thomas thwart both of the chances.

From the midway point of the half until the 42nd minute UPS was held without a shot, while Whitman rung up six more. Two were saved by Thomas, one was blocked and the other three were just off the mark outside the frame.

Whitman was more dominant in the second half, piling up a 7-2 edge in shots -- with Thomas needing to come up with three saves -- but were unable to break through the wall established by a Loggers team that had settled back into a defensive mode with their two-goal edge.

Case finished with five saves, all in the first half, in taking the loss between the pipes for Whitman.

In the attacking third Whitman's Chelsea Day, Sofia Ellington and Lena de Guzman each contributed three shots in helping Whitman garner a final shots advantage.

The attacking momentum established Saturday will hopefully transfer into Sunday's game when Whitman will welcome No. 16 Pacific Lutheran University to the Athletic Complex for another league contest.