SPOKANE, Wash. — Thor Stepina made his Lute debut in style, racking up 146 receiving yards and a touchdown but it wasn't enough on Saturday inside the Pine Bowl with the Pacific Lutheran University football team coming up short 42-13 against Whitworth University in the Northwest Conference opener. 
 
The host Pirates (3-0, 1-0 NWC) scored on the game's opening drive. A big 51-yard return from Jordan Etter set up the Lutes (1-3, 0-1 NWC) on the Whitworth 42 in their opening offensive drive. Darius Chaffin hit Stepina for a 32 yard completion to the Pirate 10-yard line but PLU was unable to cash in on the drive after the Pirates blocked a field goal attempt.
 
PLU's defense rose to the occasion on the next drive with Kellen Meade picking off a third down pass and rumbling 19 yards to the Whitworth 19-yard line. The Lute offense took it from there with a four-yard pass from Chaffin to Jacob Schuh tying the game at 7-7.
 
Whitworth answered with touchdowns on its next two drives and built a 28-7 advantage with 2:54 left in the second quarter. A Lute fumble on the ensuing kickoff gave the Pirates a short field on the 14-yard line but the Lute defense came up big once again with Nico Golla stuffing Austin Ewing on fourth and one at the five-yard line.
 
The Lutes immediately pounced with Chaffin hitting Stepina for a 95-yard touchdown pass, closing the gap to 28-13 with 35 seconds left in the half. The scales would shift back in favor of Whitworth with the Pirates getting a sack-fumble and returning it 33-yards for a touchdown as time expired, enjoying a 35-13 lead at the halftime intermission. 
 
PLU was in the Pirate redzone twice in the second half but couldn't come away with points as the hosts came away with the 42-13 victory to open conference play.
 
"It's hard to win a football game when you put yourself down three in the turnover margin," said Head Coach Brant McAdams.
 
"We've got to be better in the fundamentals of the game in all three phases to compete with a team like Whitworth."
 
Chaffin finished with 241 yards passing and 33 yards rushing, throwing for two touchdowns. Stepina had five catches for 146 yards and a score while Marc Basa also finished with four receptions. 
 
"It was nice seeing Thor bring a speak to the team in his first game as a Lute."
 
Kalen Davis-White led the defense with 13 tackles, including eight solo takedowns. Nico Golla and Kaysen Higa each had a sack while Meade had an interception and two pass break-ups.
 
Whitworth outgained the Lutes 371-299 and controlled the clock, holding the ball for almost 13 more minutes than PLU. 
 
The Lutes are back on the gridiron next Saturday, hosting Pacific University at 1 p.m. inside Sparks Stadium in the annual Homecoming Game.