SALEM, Ore.- Alex Rendon hauled in three touchdown passes as the Pacific Lutheran University football team capped off its 2019 campaign with a dominating 45-20 victory over Northwest Conference rival Willamette University on Saturday at McCulloch Stadium.
 
The Lutes (2-7, 1-6 NWC) wasted little time getting on the board, scoring on their four opening possessions of the game. Quarterback Bryce Missey found Jace Keim for a 92-yard touchdown in the Lutes' first drive of the day before cobbling together a six-play, 79-yard drive capped off by a Laakea Ane seven-yard reception to take the 14-6 lead. Alex Rendon caught a 22-yard pass from Missey for the 21-6 advantage before Alex Brost booting a 36-yard field goal, bumping PLU's advantage to 24-6 with 10:26 left in the opening half.
 
PLU collected a safety before Rendon returned to the end-zone later in the second quarter, hauling in a 17-yard pass to cap off a five-play, 43-yard drive. The Lute defense would collect another safety in the final minute of the half with Max Larson and Tristan Zucktriegel stopping the Bearcats' (1-8, 0-7 NWC) Ethan Koler for a one-yard loss, taking a comfortable 35-6 edge into the halftime intermission. 
 
Rendon tallied his third touchdown pass with 9:28 left in the third, closing out a four-play, 46-yard drive while Brost booted a 23-yard field goal with 8:00 left in the game.
 
"It was great to get a win to finish the season after the weeks of ownership, resilience, and work that our team put in," said Head Coach Brant McAdams.
 
PLU racked up 493 yards of total offense, including 319 through the air and 174 on the ground. 
 
"Our offense was balanced with great performances in the wide receiver corps, a steady rushing attack, and good decision making at quarterback."
 
Missey had a career day under center, throwing for 319 yards and five touchdowns. Keim led the receiving corps with 118 yards while Wesley Nixon racked up a team-high five catches for 89 yards. Rendon caught four passes for 51 yards with three of his receptions ending in points for the Lutes.
 
Cody Brown paced the running attach with 81 yards on 20 carries while Marcus Wiley netted 69 yards on just nine attempts, averaging 7.7 yards per touch. 
 
"Our defense stiffened up and made them one-dimensional which gave our young defensive backs a chance to come away with two interceptions."
 
Nicholas Bautista finished with eight tackles to lead the defense while Zucktriegel has six tackles, including three TFLs. Jackson Intlekofer finished with three tackles and a pair of interceptions while Chase Rhinelander recovered a fumble. 
 
"A lot of guys making plays today are underclassmen that are hungry to get into the offseason and build on the foundation that this group of seniors helped build. I'm proud to send them out on a high note."