PUYALLUP – Fifth-ranked Linfield shut 14th-ranked Pacific Lutheran out in the second half and scored 24 unanswered points to pull away to a 41-14 Northwest Conference rivalry win Saturday afternoon at Sparks Field.

Linfield picked up its 33rd consecutive NWC victory and put itself in good shape for a run at a sixth straight conference title in 2014 after only the first conference game of the season. The Wildcats improved to 3-0 overall and 1-0 in conference play, while PLU fell to 2-1 overall and 0-1 in the NWC.

Linfield more than doubled PLU's yardage output with a 460-202 advantage and picked off three Dalton Ritchey passes while limiting the PLU passing offense to only 87 yards. Ritchey completed 14 of 24 pass attempts but averaged less than four yards per pass. The senior quarterback was the Lutes' leading rusher with 75 yards on 16 carries while running for a touchdown. Niko Madison carried only nine times for 35 yards, including a score. Blake Petersen was all over the field for the Lutes on defense, tallying a game-high 15 tackles, including 1.5 for-loss, and recovering one fumble. Doug Sullivan tallied three sacks and forced a fumble for PLU.

Linfield's Sam Riddle was almost perfect under center, passing for four touchdowns and 239 yards on 17-of-21 passing, while also running for 18 yards and another score. Three Wildcats caught scoring passes, with Evan Peterson catching two TDs with a game-best 88 receiving yards. Brynnan Hyland led Linfield with three tackles-for-loss, and three different Wildcat defenders intercepted passes.

Linfield took the opening kickoff and drove 75 yards in 11 plays to take a 7-0 lead. The Wildcat defense forced a three-and-out on PLU's next possession, but the Lutes got the ball back in good field position after Sullivan's second consecutive sack of Riddle knocked the ball out of the quarterback's hands and into those of Peterson at the Linfield 29-yard line. PLU took advantage of the turnover, converting a fourth-down on the ensuing short-field drive before Ritchey carried it in from 13 yards out on 3rd-and-8.

The tie score did not last, as Linfield picked up a 37-yard field goal on its next drive to go back up 10-7. Ritchey's interception on the Lutes' next play gave Linfield the ball at the PLU 42-yard line, and the Wildcats took advantage. Riddle connected with Peterson on 3rd-and-8 for a 25-yard scoring pass to give the Wildcats their first double-digit lead of the day.

PLU put together its most impressive drive on the following possession, moving 69 yards in nine plays covering nearly six minutes of game time. The drive seemed as if it would end when the Lutes fell to 4th-and-15 at the Linfield 30-yard line, but with PLU knowing a field goal attempt would be too long and a punt would likely pick up less than 20 yards of field position the Lutes went for it. Ritchey found Kyle Warner 21 yards down the field for the PLU first down at the Linfield 9. On the next play Madison took the ball to the right and into the end zone.

That proved to be the final time PLU would score in the game, as Linfield bounced back with a 53-yard touchdown pass from Riddle to Charlie Poppen to go into the half with a 24-14 lead, and the Wildcats added to their tally with two more touchdowns and a field goal in the second half.

Pacific Lutheran returns to action next weekend, when the Lutes will travel to Portland for an NWC matchup against Lewis & Clark. Kickoff is scheduled for 2 p.m. on Oct. 11.