SPOKANE, Wash. - Puget Sound struck for two first-half goals and dealt the Pirates their first loss of the season with a 2-0 win on Sunday afternoon at the Whitworth Soccer Field.

Whitworth (9-1-1. 4-1-1 NWC) was held scoreless for the first time in 2014 and had its four-match winning streak snapped. Puget Sound (8-3-1, 5-1-0) extended its win streak to three matches and moved into first place atop the NWC standings following a two-win weekend.

Andrew White gave the Loggers an early lead in the 6th minute, poking a goal past the Whitworth defense just inside the right post on a cross from the right corner by Sam Naatz. White was able to sneak the ball into the net under pressure as Whitworth defenders convened with him at the near post in attempt to contest the low cross.

Connor LaFerriere increased the lead in the 26th minute, drilling a shot from outside the 18-yard box to the top shelf past a diving goalkeeper.

The Pirates held a 19-9 shot advantage, and a 5-1 edge on corner kicks. Each team took five shots on goal.

Whitworth committed 13 fouls compared with nine for the Loggers in a match that saw six yellow cards issued in the second half.

The Pirates came close to scoring on multiple occasions with 19 shot attempts. A Jonah Snyder shot deflected off the post in the first half and Sam Engle headed a ball off the cross bar in the second half. But the Puget Sound defense held Whitworth scoreless for its fifth shutout win of the season.

Nathan King made five saves for Puget Sound while Timmy Costa made three saves for the Pirates.

"It will be great to see how we respond -- that's a positive always," head coach Morgan Cathey said. "We need to respond -- greater than we've responded in the past when we haven't been excellent. We'll come out, we'll be excellent for one game, and then we won't do it for a second game. We've got to be more consistent in what we bring to the game."

Sunday's match featured two of the top teams in the NWC to date, as the Pirates entered the week ranked at No. 9 nationally in the NSCAA/Continental Tire NCAA Division III poll. The Pirates were also ranked at No. 2 in the NSCAA West Poll to begin the week, while the defending NWC champion Loggers were ranked at No. 9.

Whitworth returns to action next weekend, hosting Whitman during a rare, single-match weekend.