The Oracle

Issue date: 9/9/08 Section: Sports

Media Credit: Bryn Harding Drew Lukas, who scored two goals for the Pipers, heads the ball amid a crowd of Northland defenders during Hamline's 5-0 win on Saturday at Pat Paterson Field.

Media Credit: Bryn Harding Junior Matt Warhol, who had one goal and two assists, brings the ball into control during Saturday's home game against Northland College.

The Hamline men's soccer team jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first four minutes of the game, and Drew Lukas scored his fourth and fifth goals of the young season to lead the Pipers to a 5-0 home victory over Northland College on Saturday.

This was after the Pipers started the year 1-3, including a shutout loss to Marian (Wis.) a day earlier.

"I think we're just getting better every day," Lukas said. "Regardless of the losses, we keep coming to practice to work hard."

Lukas put the Pipers on the board just 45 seconds into the game on a breakaway that found the lower left corner of the net. Three minutes later, junior forward Matt Warhol scored his first goal of the season.

"That helped us a lot," Lukas said of the early lead. "A couple of games ago, we played Northwestern College and had to score in overtime to beat them. We don't want to have to do that. We want to jump on them early."
Lukas' second goal came in the 24th minute, and gave Hamline a 4-0 lead. Sophomore Javier Rios, a native of Chihuahua, Mexico, tacked on his first goal as a Piper at the 66 minute mark.

Sophomore midfielder Moe Tageldin also scored for Hamline.

The Pipers (2-3) played most of the game with three forwards, which was something head coach Andy Coutts said he did to increase output from what had previously been a floundering offense.

"It's a more aggressive, offense-first approach," he said. "You give up something on defense, but that's something we thought we could do against Northland."

Coutts' aggressive game plan worked out, as the Pipers out-shot Northland 16-6.

Warhol had two assists and Tageldin added two of his own.

Junior goalkeeper John Moening logged two saves in his first career shutout. Moening, who had his first career start on Friday against Marian, has split time this year with first-year Zach Nelson.

Hamline will open its MIAC season tomorrow at Bethel. The Royals return a majority of players from their 4-14 season a year ago.

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