Loggers rally for 2:2 draw at Lutes

Report from UPS Athletics (See PLU recap here)

PARKLAND, Wash. – A pair of second-half heroics from the Puget Sound men’s soccer team resulted in a 2-2 draw with Pacific Lutheran in Parkland on Friday. Freshman Oliver Field had one of the best matches of his short career with a goal and an assist.

The Loggers (8-2-3, 4-1-2 NWC) fell behind early as Derek Johnson buried a shot from distance to the lower left corner just less than four minutes into the match. The teams played scoreless through the rest of the first half with both teams holding equal possession. The Loggers held a slim 5-4 shot advantage and put three on goal but Joe Rayburn was there to make the save in all three chances to preserve the Lutes (6-4-2, 5-1-1 NWC) lead.

The Loggers found the equalizer in the 60th minute. Carson Swope played a ball behind the Lutes’ defenders and set up a foot race between Rayburn and Field to the ball. With Rayburn sliding in to eliminate the opportunity, Field won the foot race and chipped it up and into the net for a 1-1 tie.

In the 73rd minute, Emmanuel Amarh gave the Lutes a lead for the second time when he tapped in Shane Gutierrez’s free kick from the back post. Amarh snuck behind the defense on the free kick and one-touched a shot across the box and into the goal.

However, the Loggers refused to go quietly and continued to push forward. In the 87th minute, Field led the attack down the field and drove to the end line. He delivered a perfectly placed cross into the box for Ryan Rash to come flying in and head it home. Head Coach Reece Olney called Rash’s goal a “world-class header” as it drew the Loggers even again with less than four minutes remaining.

Neither team found the golden goal in the extra 20 minutes. The Lutes were able to fire three shots and put two on goal. Chris McDonald was there to turn away both shots. On one free kick, an initial shot hit the crossbar and the rebound was struck well but McDonald was able to just tip it over the bar.

The Loggers are back home after nearly three weeks away for a nonconference match with St. John’s on Sunday at noon on East Field.

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