BOXSCORE ST. PAUL, Minn. -- Clayton Lynch (JR, Cedar Rapids, Iowa/Xavier HS) claimed his 11th career shutout in goal, as the Augsburg College men's soccer team opened its 2012 campaign with a 0-0, two-overtime draw with Whitworth College (Wash.) on Friday afternoon at Hamline University's Pat Paterson Field.

Augsburg (0-0-1) claimed the tie with Whitworth (0-0-1), a team that finished 14-3-1 last year and shared the Northwest Conference regular-season title. Whitworth was picked to finish second in the Northwest Conference preseason coaches' poll.

"This was a great game to start off the season. Whitworth is a tremendous opponent that posed several questions for us to answer -- exactly what we needed in a season opener," said Augsburg head coach Greg Holker. "Overall I thought a draw was the right result for both teams. We were pleased to keep a clean sheet and overtime provided us a chance to get in a little more fitness."

Lynch recorded 10 saves in the season-opening draw. Augsburg's defense held firm throughout the game, despite being outshot by a 13-6 margin in the game.

"We had three very good chances early in the game that we were unable to put on goal, and after that Whitworth did a good job closing the door on us. They had the majority of the ball in the second half, but when they did get their two or three moments, Clayton Lynch was equal to the task," Holker said.

The game was the opener of Hamline's Twin Cities Kickoff Classic. The Auggies will face Pacific Lutheran (Wash.) on Saturday (9/1) at 1 p.m., also at Hamline. Pacific Lutheran, which tied Whitworth for the Northwest Conference title and finished 15-4 overall, was selected to finish first in the NWC by conference coaches and was ranked No. 25 in the National Soccer Coaches Association of America/Continental Tire Division III preseason national poll.

"Tomorrow will be a bit more difficult, knowing we played 20 minutes longer today than PLU did in their win over Hamline," Holker said. "However, we will reach a little deeper down the bench and find out what some of our newer players can do out there against a top-25 program."