|
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
PUYALLUP, Wash. - The Chapman University football team remained 0-for-Tacoma as host Pacific Lutheran University (Wash.) defeated the visiting Panthers 34-13 at Sparks Stadium on Saturday afternoon. The Lutes scored the first three touchdowns of the game and clamped down on defense in the second half to send Chapman home with its first loss of the season and its third in a row in Washington. At 3-0, Pacific Lutheran looks like the West Region power it was before consecutive losing seasons in 2005 and '06. The Lutes had two additional motivating factors going into this game: their home opener, as well as the bitter taste of a 42-25 loss to Chapman in Orange last September. The Lutes used both to their advantage, compiling 361 yards of total offense against a Chapman defense ranked in the top-10 in Division III and scoring 27 first half points to put the game virtually out of reach. Chapman (1-1) tried to make a game of it when they scored twice in the second quarter and looked like they might go into halftime trailing by 7. In a drive that began at Chapman's own 3 yard line, senior QB Eric Marty led the Panthers on a nine-play, 97 yard drive that was capped by a 15-yard touchdown pass to senior WR Lance Carter. That drive cut the PLU lead to 20-13 with 2:08 remaining in the half. However, the Lutes stormed back 61 yards in 1:46 to recapture a two-touchdown lead at halftime. Pacific Lutheran then capitalized on Chapman's first and only turnover of the season - a fumble inside its own 10 yard line - to score the game's final touchdown early in the third quarter. The Chapman passing game was strong once again as Marty completed 21-of-35 passes for 292 yards and two touchdowns. His longest pass of the day was completed to senior WR Brandon Koller who scored on a 55-yard touchdown toss in the second quarter. Koller finished with six catches for 84 yards. Meanwhile, junior WR Harrison Dull had three catches for a team-high 112 yards. The Panthers' defense was particularly strong in the second half as the Lutes' offense never got deeper than Chapman's 34 yard line. Chapman also made two interceptions in the half, including the second in as many games for junior LB Nick Gaitan. But the PLU defense was equal, shutting out the Chapman offense over the final 30 minutes. Chapman returns home Saturday to face the University of Redlands at Wilson Field at 7 p.m. Redlands (2-0) looks like SCIAC championship contenders once again, having upset preseason top-25 Whitworth (Wash.) 24-12 in Week 1 in Redlands. The Bulldogs had a bye this week and will be looking to avenge a 13-7 loss to the Panthers last season.
Game stats available online: |
|||||||||||
|
|
