SAN FRANCISCO - For the ninth time in 13 matches the No. 8 regionally ranked Point Loma women's soccer team found itself in a 1-0 match, and for the fifth time in those nine matches PLNU found itself on the winning end. Rachel Witz delivered the lone goal of the match in the 64th minute to lift PLNU to the 1-0 victory over Academy of Art on Thursday, Oct. 22.
 
The Sea Lions are now 9-4 on the season and tied for first place in the PacWest with 18 points (6-2-0 PacWest). PLNU is in a four-way tie at the top of the conference standings with Dixie State, Azusa Pacific and Concordia. The loss was the fifth straight for ARTU which drops to 4-9 on the season and to 3-5 in the PacWest
 
Point Loma controlled the match and dominated the stats but it was not until Witz found the net in the 64th minute that the scoreless tie was broken. Witz collected a deflection off a free kick by Kaiti Freeberg and deposited a shot into the net from 20 yards out. It was Witz's first goal with the Sea Lions.
 
PLNU also outshot ARTU 18-2 in the match, and the Urban Knights did not have a shot on goal until the final minute of the match. Ariel Oriarte made one save and recorded her eighth shutout of the season.
 
"The girls played very well for most of the game," said Point Loma head coach Tim Hall. "They controlled the ball and their energy levels were good. They just played solidly offensively and defensively. We were executing well, it was just trying to execute in the final third of the field. It felt all game it would happen it was just a matter of when.
 
"At this stage in the season we were able to get the three points and that is the most important thing," Hall added.
 
The Sea Lions will continue their road trip on Saturday, Oct. 24 at 11:00 a.m. at Notre Dame de Namur.  
 
"Every team we play is one that can sting you," Hall said. "NDNU is going to be scrappy and they are going to be good. We have to maintain what we are doing and not worry about the other team. We have to do what we are good at and that usually allows us to be competitive. We have to have high energy levels on Saturday."