NEWBERG, Ore. – What began as scoreless first-half defensive struggle evolved into a wild second-half scoring frenzy as the visiting Pacific Lutheran University Lutes edged the George Fox University Bruins 3-2 in a Northwest Conference women's soccer shootout Saturday afternoon here at the rain-soaked Austin Sports Complex.

The Lutes out-shot the Bruins 8-3 in the first half and held a 4-0 advantage in shots on goal, but George Fox keeper Alyssa Montero made all the stops.  The best scoring opportunity for either team came when the Lutes' Mimi Granlund had a one-on-one chance from five yards out in the 32nd minute but slammed it just over the top of the crossbar.

PLU finally broke the scoring ice a minute-and-a-half into the second period.  Courtney Walker sent a cross from outside the left side of the penalty box to the middle, where Karli Hurlbut headed it off the crossbar and down into the net for her third goal of the season.  The Bruins answered two minutes later when Shannon Olson collected a loose ball inside the box after a brief scrum and angled it to the left corner past Lutes goalie Lauren Chambard for her first score of the season.

The Lutes regained the lead in the 69th minute with another textbook goal.  Kristina Snaring sent a long ball from deep along the right sideline to Hurlbut streaking toward the goal, and she sent into the left corner of the net with a lunging header for her second score of the game and fourth of the season.  Again the Bruins responded in a hurry, this time only 31 seconds later, as Kirsten Cardwell notched her third goal of the season on a penalty kick to the right corner off the hands of a diving Chambard following a PLU foul against Olson in the penalty box.

The Lutes then capitalized on a foul called against keeper Montero in the box that resulted in a penalty kick opportunity of their own.  Granlund took the kick and sent it along the wet turf to the right corner under Montero in the 72nd minute for what proved to be the winning score, her second goal of the season.  The PLU defense kept the ball away from the Bruins the rest of the way, except for one shot by Esther Harder, which sailed wide right.

PLU finished with a 17-9 margin in total shots, 9-4 in shots on goal, and 5-3 in corner kicks.  Montero made six saves for the Bruins, while Chambard had two for the Lutes. 

NEXT:  George Fox (3-6-2, NWC 2-5) closes out the first half of conference play Sunday at 12:00 noon with a visit to Yamhill County rival Linfield College ... Pacific Lutheran (2-8, NWC 2-5) heads down to Salem Sunday for a 12:00 noon match at Willamette University.