TACOMA, Wash. – The Pacific Lutheran University football team struck first in the 94^th rendition of the annual rivalry game with the University of Puget Sound, but the Loggers got the best of the Lutes on Saturday 45-23.  
 
Junior Cody Brown was the featured attraction on the PLU's opening scoring drive.  Brown took a handoff from Bryce Missey on the first five plays from scrimmage and hit paydirt on the seventh play from seven yards out.  Sandwiched in between was a 48-yard pitch and catch from Missey to Alex Rendon to get the Lutes inside the 10-yard line.  
 
The Loggers needed just two plays to knot the score as Murdo Rutledge hit Jewell Day for a 78-yard score. The PLU defense got three straight stops before Rutledge connected with AJ Johnson from seven yards out to give the Loggers a lead they wouldn't relinquish.  
 
The two Tacoma rivals traded field goals before UPS scored their third touchdown of the first half just 1:17 before the break.  However, Missey and the PLU offense weren't done.  The junior quarterback completed the opening play to Jace Keim for 11 yards and Brown picked up another 11 two plays later.  Later in the drive, Missey scrambled for 11 more and Alex Brost connected on his second field goal of the day with five seconds left to cut the Logger lead to 24-13.  
 
UPS drew first blood in the third quarter to go up 31-13, but Brost booted his third field goal, this time from 41 yards out, to inch the visitors closer.  Brown hit the endzone again with 8:06 left in the game, but it wasn't enough as the Loggers scored two more touchdowns in the fourth.  
 
Brown had another solid game for PLU, rushing for 106 yards and two touchdowns on 23 carries.  Braden Amorozo relieved Missey in the second half and completed 13 of 25 passes for 146 yards.  The sophomore also picked up 27 yards on the ground.  Rendon led the Lute receivers with six catches and 80 yards. 
 
Defensively, Chase Rhinelander made 11 stops and had a pass breakup.  Hunter Briggs, Kord Tuttle and Nicholas Bautista all added seven tackles.  In the defensive backfield, Jared Elwin broke up five passes and had a tackle for loss.  
 
The Lutes were outgained 460-410 and Rutledge threw for an impressive 435 yards and five touchdowns. PLU held a slim 31:46-27:01 in terms of time of possession, but the Loggers won the turnover battle 4-0.  
 
PLU returns home next Saturday when they host Linfield College at 1:00 pm. inside Sparks Stadium.