NEWBERG, Ore. --- After coming off of a bye week into an energized homecoming weekend, the Bruins were unable to make a fourth-quarter push, dropping a game for the first time this season, losing to Pacific Lutheran 13-12.   

How It Happened
From the start, both teams made it clear that this game would be a battle of the defenses.  After receiving the opening kickoff, the Bruins embarked on a grueling 15-play, 64-yard drive that ended in a 22 yd field goal from Ethan Hoffman to give the Bruins a 3-0 early lead. After this initial score, the teams combined to gain 26 yards total in the remainder of the quarter, leaving the score 3-0.

After carrying the lead into the second quarter, the Bruin defense locked down, holding PLU to yet another scoreless quarter. The offense, who came into the game averaging 39.3 points per game, was held to just one additional field goal. The Lutes were held to under 50 yards of offense in the first half as the Bruins took a 6-0 lead to the locker rooms.

After coming out with the momentum and the lead, the Bruins were once again unable to find the end zone, not putting any points on the board in the third. While the defense continued to hold the Lutes, a pick-six by Jared Elwin gave the PLU a one-point, 7-6 lead heading into the final quarter of play, and setting the stage for a Bruins thriller at home.  

The Bruins came out firing in the fourth quarter, driving down the field. Haiden Schaan connected with Leon Johnson III for a 21-yard touchdown catch and a lead for the Bruins. After a failed two-point conversion attempt, the Bruins lead 12-7. With the clock inside five minutes remaining, the Lutes' Jordan Etter connected with wide receiver John Walker in the back of the endzone, giving the Lutes a 13-12 lead with 4:18 remaining. 

With time winding down, Fox managed to drive down to the Pacific Lutheran 32-yard line. On a fourth-and-one with 40 seconds remaining, Ethan Bullock's fullback dive attempt was thwarted by the Lutes' defense, giving the Bruins their first loss of the 2022 season, 13-12.

Top Performers
Bruin quarterback Haiden Schaan was 27-38 on the night with 283 yards in the air, with his touchdown pass to Johnson III. For his part, Johnson III had 12 receptions for 186 yards and the Bruins' lone touchdown of the game. Ethan Hoffman was also 2-2 on field goals for the night, providing half of the Bruins' offense in their valiant effort.  

Defensively, the Bruins held PLU to just one offensive touchdown on the night. Nash Wylie led Fox with seven solo tackles, with Justin Montijo totaling seven tackles as well.

Coach's Thoughts
"PLU, as I've said all along, is the most improved team in the NWC in my opinion," Bruin head coach Chris Casey said, "They out-coached and outplayed us at several critical points in the game.
You have to play a "complete" game on offense/defense/special teams to give yourself the best chance to win and we did not achieve that goal in yesterday's game. We are looking forward to learning from this game, correcting our mistakes, and preparing for the Willamette game - another much improved team in our conference."

What It Means
The Bruins fall to 3-1 overall on the season and sit with a 0-1 mark in the Northwest Conference. 

What Happens Next
Fox hopes to regain momentum next weekend with a road game against the Willamette Bearcats. Kickoff is scheduled for 1:30 p.m.