PUYALLUP, Wash. - The Puget Sound Loggers put together 413 yards
of offense against a trick Pacific Lutheran defense but turnovers
proved to be costly as the Lutes collected a 35-13 victory over the
visiting Loggers in a Northwest Conference football game on
Saturday afternoon at Sparks Stadium in Puyallup, Wash.
The Loggers looked to be off to a good start early in the game
as they were moving the ball down the field on the opening drive
but a fumble at the PLU 49 yard line gave the high-powered Lute
offense a chance to strike first and PLU took advantage, using a 20
yard pass from Jordan Rasmussen to Isaac Moog to put six points on
the board and the PAT by Richard Isett gave the Lutes a 7-0
advantage.
On their next possesion, the Loggers again had a costly turnover
as PLU intercepted the pass from Kavin Williams (Ocean Shores,
Wash./North Beach) and then drove 60 yards on nine plays to take a
14-0 advantage on a two yard run from Cody Phren and the Isett PAT.
In the second quarter, the Loggers defense shut the Lutes done,
limiting PLU to just 31 second quarter yards and the Puget Sound
offense took advantage. Casey Larson (Coupeville, Wash.)
punched the ball in from three yards out to cap a six-play, 72-yard
drive with 3:45 remaining that tightened the lead to just seven
points, 14-7. Puget Sound nearly tied it up before halftime
but Williams was stopped for a loss of one yard at the PLU two-yard
line as time expired to give PLU the 14-7 halftime lead.
In the third quarter, the Lutes took advantage of a Puget Sound
turnover yet again as Spencer Crace (Wilsonville, Ore.) was picked
off by Andy Sturza with 5:58 left in the period and the Lutes
marched down the field, using 11-plays to go 61 yards and
collecting the touchdown on a four-yard pass from Rasmussen to Drew
Griffin for the 21-7 lead.
The fourth quarter didn't get much better for the Loggers as PLU
scored back-to-back touchdowns on back-to-back fumbles by Puget
Sound to take a 35-7 lead with 3:56 left to play. The Loggers
didn't give up, finally getting back in the endzone with 2:23
remaining following a one-yard pass from Crace to Ross Zuhl
(Issaquah, Wash.) but the PAT was no good as the Lutes collected
the 35-13 victory.
The Loggers were led offensively by 134 yards rushing and 69
yards passing from Williams. Crace finished the day with 98
yards passing on 11-of-13 attempts with one touchdown and one
interception. Defensively, sophomore Damarkus Milner (Tacoma,
Wash./Lincoln) pounded the Lutes for 11 tackles while Tyler Vlasak
(Sumner, Wash.) finished up with nine tackles.
The Lutes were led by 176 yards passing from Rassmussen, who
connected on 17-of-26 attempts for three touchdowns.
Rasmussen also led the Lutes on the ground, carrying the ball 10
times for 49 yards. Lute wide receiver Greg Ford, who entered
the game averaging 149.6 yards per game, was limited to just five
catches for 30 yards as the Logger secondary played the Lutes
tough. Defensively, PLU was led by 10 tackles from Lawrence
Woods.
Puget Sound travels down to Oregon next week to take on
nationally-ranked Linfield. Kickoff with the Wildcats is set
for 1:30 p.m. at Maxwell Field in McMinnville, Ore.
