TACOMA, Wash. - In a battle of perennial conference heavyweights, the Whitman College men's soccer team earned a key road win with a 2-1 defeat at Pacific Lutheran in Northwest Conference action on Sunday afternoon.
Both goals came in the first half and proved to be enough for the win. Edwin Romero put the Blues (5-4-1, 2-1-1 NWC) up in only the ninth minute, scoring a pass laid by Zachary Stonier.
Whitman tacked on another midway through the first 45. This time it was Sawyer Valero who beat the Lute (6-2, 2-2 NWC) defense and PLU keeper Nicholas Gaston to put his team up by two goals.
Sawyer's early insurance proved vital as PLU scored early in the second half to make it a one-goal game. Trevor Thompson found the back of the net past Bernie Jones off a ball played from Cris Lozano.
Jones had a solid afternoon in net for the Blues in dealing with 12 Lute shots. Gaston also played a full 90 and posted two saves while giving up the two goals.
Whitman returns home next weekend for a Saturday match vs. Linfield and a Sunday match vs. Willamette.
