Pacific Lutheran University Athletics

PUYALLUP, Wash. — Special teams proved to be an Achilles heel on Saturday for the Pacific Lutheran University football team against nationally-ranked University of Mary Hardin-Baylor, battling tough before eventually succumbing 29-6 at Sparks Stadium.

The 19th-ranked Crusaders (2-0) got on the board 67 seconds into the game, forcing a PLU three and out before Luke Vidal returned a punt 54-yards for a touchdown.

The Lutes (1-1) gritty defense kept the contest tight, heading into the halftime break trailing just 10-0, having outgained the Texas opponent offensively in the opening two quarters.

UMHB returned the second half kickoff 92-yards for a touchdown, this time BJ Stewart zig zagging across the field to establish a 17-0 Crusader lead.

Trailing 23-0, the Lute defense stuffed the Cru on a fourth and one at the one yard line, getting a big tackle from Kawika Lopez and Micah Ragaza-Bourassa.
 
That play sparked the Lutes with backup quarter Jaxon Budd navigating a 99-yard scoring drive. Headlining the drive was a 22-yard catch from Dayton Savea with an unnecessary roughness penalty moving the Lutes even further into UMHB territory. Budd hit Savea again on a 20-yard pass to the seven yard line before Budd found Darius Sum for a nine-yard touchdown reception. 

UMHB answered the following drive, making it 29-6 to close out the scoring. 

"It was great to see our defense play that well against a top opponent. You're never out of a game when your defense is playing well like that," said Head Coach Brant McAdams.

"We've got a lot of work to do on offense and special teams if we're going to get where we think we're capable of going. The critical mistakes and penalties have got to get eliminated."
 
Budd came off the bench and completed 11 of 16 passes for 157 yards and a score. As a team, the Lutes generated 248 yards through the air with Anthony Mahaffey throwing for 81 yards.

Savea was the most popular target, catching seven passes for 125 yards, one of eight Lutes to catch a pass on the afternoon.

PLU's defense got after the Cru, forcing two fumbles and getting two interceptions. Devon Nash and Eli Fernandez each picked off a pass while Avery Coleman and Ragaza-Bourassa both forced fumbles.

Fernandez and Coleman led the way with 11 tackles, including seven solo takedowns from Fernandez. Ragaza-Bourassa had eight tackles, including one TFL. 
 
The Lutes finish off the non-conference slate next Saturday, trekking to San Antonio, Texas to face 13th-ranked Trinity University. Kickoff against the Tigers is set for 7 p.m. (Central).