Bearcats Fall to Pacific Lutheran, 56-14

By Robert McKinney, Athletics Communications Director, (503) 370-6110

PUYALLUP, WASH. -- Senior quarterback Dalton Ritchey completed 15 of 22 passes for 302 yards and five touchdowns to lead Pacific Lutheran University to a 56-14 victory over Willamette University on Saturday, Oct. 25 at Sparks Stadium. PLU improved 4-2 overall, 2-2 in the NWC. Willamette also ended the game at 4-2, 2-2 in the NWC.

Willamette running back Dylan Jones (Sr., Santa Maria, CA/Ernest Righetti HS) rushed for 129 yards on 18 carries to reach 1,044 rushing yards on the season. He scored the game's final touchdown.

Pacific Lutheran gained a school record 686 total yards, breaking the old record of 653 yards, set against Whitworth University in 1970. In addition to Ritchey's passing success, the quarterback also rushed 14 times for 130 yards and one touchdown. Running back Niko Madison carried the ball 16 times for 136 yards and one touchdown.

WU quarterback Trent Spallas (So., QB, Elk Grove, CA/Franklin HS) connected on 10 of 20 passes for 151 yards. Derek Traeger (Sr., WR, Mount Angel, OR/John F. Kennedy HS) hauled in six passes for 80 yards. The Bearcats gained 290 yards of total offense. Neither team committed a turnover.

Willamette scored on the game's opening possession. The Bearcats drove 75 yards on five plays, including a 57-yard run by Jones to the PLU 3-yard line. Two plays later, Spallas scored on a 1-yard run and Conner Mertens (Fr., PK, Kennwick, WA/Southridge HS) kicked the extra point to give the Bearcats a 7-0 lead.

The Lutes answered with 5-play, 75-yard drive of their own. Ritchey hit Kyle Warner with a 47-yard pass for the touchdown. After Dallan Rodriguez made the extra point, the game was tied 7-7.

PLU added two more scores in the first quarter for a 21-7 lead.

Lucas Sontra hauled in a 10-yard pass from Ritchey at the 3:08 mark to move the Lutes in front. After forcing Willamette to punt, the Lutes took over at the PLU 33. On the first play, Ritchey passes 64 yards to Warner for a first down at the WU 3-yard line. On 3rd-and-goal, Sontra caught a 4-yard touchdown pass from Ritchey.

Dalton scored on a 10-yard run with 6:54 left in the second quarter to give the Lutes a 28-7 advantage. Rodriguez missed a 32-yard field goal with three second remaining in the half.

Pacific Lutheran drove 65 yards in five plays at the start of the second half. The touchdown was scored by Fernando Barrett on a 43-yard pass from Ritchey. The Lutes added a 64-yard touchdown run by Madison on 3rd-and-1 at the PLU 36 with 3:33 left in the third quarter for a 42-7 lead.

The lead increased when Ritchey threw a 33-yard scoring strike to Sontra on the first play of the fourth quarter. Willamette then drove from its own 35 to the PLU 13 before the Bearcats were stopped by three consecutive incomplete passes.

Twelve plays and 87 yards later, Richard Johnson recorded PLU's final touchdown on a 1-yard run. The Bearcats completed the scoring with a 26-yard touchdown run by Jones with 1:14 remaining.

Jack Nelson (Sr., ILB, Portland, OR/Jesuit HS) led the Willamette defense with 10 total tackles, including six solo tackles. Kyle Shaver (So., OLB, Bend, OR/Mountain View HS), Damian Jackson (So., DB, Puyallup, WA/Rogers HS) and Benjamin Jahn (Fr., OLB, Juneau, AK/Thunder Mountain HS) each registered six tackles.

Shaver provided the Bearcats with 1.5 tackles for loss, including one quarterback sack.

The PLU defense was led by Travis McCarthy and Joel Teats, each with four solo tackles and two assists for six total tackles. Derek Kaufman added five tackles for the Lutes.

Willamette will play at #5-ranked Linfield College on Saturday, Nov. 1. Kickoff in McMinnville, Ore., is slated for 1 p.m. (PDT).