Miscues Mar Kingsmen Effort at Pacific Lutheran
PUYALLUP, Wash. - The Lutes scored a touchdown on the opening
drive and the No. 15 Cal Lutheran football team never caught up in
a 35-21 loss to Pacific Lutheran University on Saturday in
Puyallup, Wash. The Kingsmen were unable to overcome three
interceptions and two fumbles lost.
Box Score: PLU 35,
CLU 21 - F
On six first-half possessions the Kingsmen punted three times,
lost a fumble, threw an interception and missed a 25-yard field
goal, leading to a 14-0 halftime deficit.
The Kingsmen flashed back to last week's win over Linfield on the
first play from scrimmage in the second half, when junior Daniel
Mosier took a handoff and ran 72 yards for a touchdown, cutting the
CLU deficit to 14-7.
Mosier ended up with 118 yards rushing on 15 carries and had
17-yard reception.
CLU had just 109 yards of total offense after the first half, but
came back with 271 in the second while Pacific Lutheran totaled 489
yards of offense with 286 of it coming on the ground.
One the Lutes first play from scrimmage after the Mosier score,
PLU tailback Alec Simmons took off for a 67-yard run and
immediately put the Lutes back up by two touchdowns.
After two scores within the first minute of the third quarter, it
was Cal Lutheran's turn again, and it responded with a nine-play,
57-yard drive for another touchdown, capped by a one-yard scoring
run from junior quarterback Jake Laudenslayer.
The defense forced a three-and-out but after CLU moved into Lutes
territory, junior running back Bobby Rodrigues lost a fumble. The
Lutes ended up capitalizing on a fake field goal to complete a
63-yard touchdown scoring drive to go ahead 28-14.
The fake didn't fool the Kingsmen, who forced holder Tyler Bowen
to put up a hopeful pass to Jordan Davison at the goal line.
Sophomores J.D. Austin and Broc Galbreth collided with Davison,
knocking the ball away, and it floated into the arms of PLU running
back Brandon James, who grabbed it on the 2-yard line and then
stepped into the end zone, culminating the 14-yard scoring
play.
CLU's defense intercepted PLU quarterback Jordan Rasmussen twice
in the game. Senior Brett Lewis hauled in his second interception
of the season and Galbreth snatched the other.
On the ensuing drive, Laudenslayer was intercepted and again PLU
took advantage, with a 32-yard touchdown pass on its first play
following the turnover and less than a minute remaining in the
third.
Laudenslayer finished with 171 yards passing, but threw three
interceptions.
Senior quarterback Lee Mondol entered in the middle of the fourth
quarter with the game virtually sealed, and led a 11-play, 58 yard
drive that he finished with a eight-yard scoring strike to
sophomore Eric Rogers.
Rogers grabbed eight balls on the day for 91 yards. Junior Matt
O'Brien had 63 yards receiving on five catches.
Sophomore Patrick Knox led the CLU defense with eight tackles.
Senior Jeff Miller and sophomore Rian Younker each had a sack.
Cal Lutheran (1-1) will have an open date next Saturday before it
gets into conference play. The Kingsmen will travel to Redlands to
face the Bulldogs on Oct. 2.
