WALLA WALLA, Wash.  The weather conditions -- constant rain and temperatures only in the high 40s -- didn't make for the most pleasant of conditions Saturday for a Northwest Conference men's soccer match-up. And the double-overtime 2-2 deadlock likely didn't lead waterlogged Whitman or rain-soaked Pacific (Ore.) University to post-game celebrations on the beaten-up turf at the Whitman Athletic Fields.

But the Blues (5-7-3, 4-3-3 NWC) and Lutes (8-4-3, 6-2-2) were probably happy to salvage an important point apiece within the league standings, knowing the weekend still presented opportunities on Sunday for the chance to earn victories to help climb those same standings.

Though Whitman out shot the Lutes 21-14 on the afternoon, the teams matched each other on the scoreboard in more than just the totals.

Heavy pressure early in the Pacific Lutheran defensive third earned the Blues a penalty kick chance at the 5:44 mark, which Noah Cavanaugh converted for his team-leading sixth goal of the season. His senior campaign is going so well, in fact, that Cavanaugh has surpassed his cumulative career goals total, four, from his first three seasons.

The Lutes would spoil his game-opening performance, though, gaining and converting a PK of their own to tie the score early in the 32nd minute.

In the second half it was again a quick goal from Whitman that opened the scoring, as Jacob Fritz flicked a header off a cross from Cavanaugh into the netting behind PLU goalkeeper RJ Noll just 50 seconds the halftime break.

However, not quite ten minutes later the Lutes would pull back even behind an Eddie Na unassisted tally.

Whitman, which racked up a 10-6 shots advantage in the second half, worked desperately to pick up the winning late goal but a Cavanaugh shot in the 77th was lifted over the crossbar, a close-in shot from CJ Fritz in the 81st was blocked, and a David Chavarin attempt in the 88th sailed high.

The Blues carried their momentum into the first 10-minute extra period, but their 3-1 edge in shots was again fruitless, sending the game into a second overtime stanza.

For the first time in the contest a span of play was captained by the Lutes. A Na shot hit the post three minutes into the second OT, and an Oni Mayer shot went over the crossbar 20 seconds later. A corner insertion from Mayer skipped across the goal face one minute later, just missing a PLU toe, and another close shave soon followed, shaving the outside of the right post.

The final minutes flipped the field, as Cavanaugh and Peter Stephens combined for three shots, but one sailed right while the second and third were saved by Noll to render the scoreboard silent until the final horn.

Noll finished with five saves for PLU, and Owen Davis-Bower picked up a pair of saves in goal for Whitman.

The Blues celebrate Senior Day on Sunday, the final home match of the season, with a 2:30 p.m. conference contest against University of Puget Sound.