WALLA WALLA, Wash.  Lena de Guzman's goal with less than four minutes in regulation lifted Whitman into a 2-2 tie with No. 16 Pacific Lutheran University, a score that would remain unchanged through a pair of overtime periods Sunday afternoon in Northwest Conference women's soccer action at the Whitman Athletic Complex.

The goal, with 3 minutes, 14 seconds left in the second half, bookended the scoring for Whitman (1-11-2, 1-7-2 NWC) which had scored the first goal of the contest to open up an early lead over the nationally-ranked and unbeaten Lutes (10-0-4, 7-0-3).

Pacific Lutheran was intent on playing up to its ranking and began the game with solid pressure, ringing up three shots between the fourth and ninth minutes. The first was off the mark but the second forced Whitman goalkeeper Haley Case to come up with the save.

The third shot turned out to almost be the charm for the Lutes as a scramble deep in the box near the right post -- that included Case -- resulted in a tap-in opportunity for the Lutes' Machaela Graddy, but a Whitman defender stepped in and cleared the ball away just before it crossed the goal line.

The adventurous play seemed to spark Whitman, and perhaps catch PLU off guard after coming so close to scoring. The immediate transition down field eventually put the ball at Pagan Hetherington's feet and the first-year was able to slot a pass into the right side of the box to Sofia Ellington.

Lutes goalie Takara Mitsui was racing out to try to steal the ball off Ellington's foot but a quick sidestep left Mitsui on the ground and Ellington looking at a yawning net in which she buried a shot center frame, putting Whitman on the board first at the 9:01 mark.

The narrow lead held firm across the remaining minutes of the half, though both Case and Mitsui would have to put a little bit of work in to keep the scoreboard unchanged.

The second half would turn out to be a different ballgame, however.

Pacific Lutheran came out of the break and pounded away at the Whitman frame, registering eight shots in 13 minutes. The ninth one finally did the trick for the Lutes as this time it was Case that had to charge off her line to cut down angles, and like with Mitsui, the tactic wasn't successful as PLU's Graddy evaded the onrush and found the back of the netting for the tying marker at 58:05.

The attack didn't stop there, either, as PLU continued to pressure the Whitman defense in seeking the lead.

That goal came in the 71st when Kaylie Rozell lofted a shot from outside the box over Case but under the crossbar to grant the Lutes their first lead of the afternoon.

Though Whitman chalked up shot in the 83rd the momentum continued to flow with PLU -- until it abruptly didn't.

Consecutive fouls on PLU switched possession back to Whitman and after the second of those de Guzman received a header from Sophie Brussell that led her through a pair of defenders in the box and got off a shot that Mitsui wasn't able to get to, finding a crease between the post and keeper for the equalizer.

With only five shots total the overtime periods were less eventful than the previous 90 minutes, though Case did come up big with a save in each extra period -- one a leaping touch that gloved the ball over the crossbar, and another a diving touch to her right that sent the ball just outside of the post.

Pacific Lutheran won the shots battle, 30-10, and created more corner kick chances, 14-2, but Case's 10 saves and Whitman's opposite-half goals erased the meaning of those deficits and sent the Lutes home with nothing better than a tie.

A five-match home slate concludes Wednesday with Whitman welcoming Whitworth University to the Athletics Complex for a 5 p.m. contest that will finish under the lights.