Willamette to Battle Pacific Lutheran in Puyallup on Saturday

By Robert McKinney, Athletics Communications Director, (503) 370-6110

SALEM, ORE. -- Willamette University will play its fourth Northwest Conference game of the season when the Bearcats take on Pacific Lutheran University on Saturday, Oct. 25 in Puyallup, Wash. Game time is set for 1 p.m. (PDT). Willamette is 4-1 on the season, 2-1 in the NWC, while Pacific Lutheran is 3-2 overall, 1-2 in the NWC.

You can listen to Willamette's Live Audio and follow Live Stats during the game. The webcast will feature play-by-play from Mike Allegre and commentary from Brandon Chinn starting at 1:15 p.m. You also can watch Live Video provided by Pacific Lutheran.

The Bearcats are averaging 40.8 points and 453.2 yards per game. Willamette ranks 25th out of 242 teams in NCAA Division III in scoring offense. The Bearcats are eighth in the nation in rushing offense with 285.6 yards on the ground per game.

Dylan Jones (Sr., RB, Santa Maria, CA/Ernest Righetti HS) is the leader of the WU rushing attack with 915 yards and 11 touchdowns on 129 carries. He is averaging 183.0 rushing yards per game and needs just 85 yards to reach the 1,000 mark. He ranks second in NCAA Division III in rushing yards per game and is fifth in scoring with 13.2 points per game.

Jimmy Sharpe (So., RB, Walnut Creek, CA/Northgate HS) has rushed for 139 yards on 29 carries. Ryan Foote (Jr., WR, Sherwood, OR/Valley Catholic HS/Allan Hancock JC) has contributed 127 rushing yards on 19 carries.

Foote also leads the Bearcats with 334 receiving yards. He has caught 17 passes and has scored five touchdowns through the air.

Derek Traeger (Sr., WR, Mount Angel, OR/John F. Kennedy HS) ranks first on the team with 21 catches. He has gained 178 yards to go along with one touchdown. Beau Smith (Sr., WR, Roseville, CA/Roseville HS) has caught 16 passes for 161 yards and two scores.

Sophomore quarterback Trent Spallas (Elk Grove, CA/Franklin HS) has connected on 56 of 104 passes (53.8%) for 661 yards and touchdowns, but missed last week's game against Lewis & Clark College due to an injury.

Ryan Knowlton (Fr., QB, Puyallup, WA/Emerald Ridge HS) has completed 15 of 20 passes for 168 yards and three touchdowns. He was 14 of 19 against Lewis & Clark.

The Willamette defense ranks 36th in Division III with 15 takeaways on eight interceptions and seven fumble recoveries. The Bearcats rank 22nd in the nation in fourth down conversion defense, as WU has limited opponents to 26.7% success.

Jack Nelson (Sr., ILB, Portland, OR/Jesuit HS) is Willamette's top tackler with 54 total stops. He also ranks first with 29 unassisted tackles and 25 assists. He leads the Bearcats with 6.0 tackles for loss.

Jimmy Roberts (Jr., ILB, Galt, CA/Galt HS) has achieved 28 total tackles, while Mark Mulligan (So., DL, San Francisco, CA/Archbishop Riordan HS) has earned 25 tackles. Brendan Manion (Sr., OLB, Los Altos, CA/Archbishop Mitty HS) has added 24 tackles.

Wendell Galvan (Sr., CB, Bothell, WA/Bothell HS) has registered three interceptions and has broke up 10 other passes. He ranks second in Division III with 2.6 passes defended per game. Benjamin Jahn (Fr., OLB, Juneau, AK/Thunder Mountain HS) leads Willamette with 3.0 quarterback sacks and is second with 5.0 tackles for loss.

Conner Mertens (Fr., PK/P, Kennewick, WA/Southridge HS) has converted 27 of 28 extra points and is 3 for 3 on field goals. David Cheng (Jr., Dublin, CA/Dublin HS) has averaged 35.7 yards per punt. Smith has averaged 21.6 yards on seven kickoff returns and Bryan Toles (So., DB, Clovis, CA/Clovis North HS) has averaged 9.3 yards on seven punt returns.

Pacific Lutheran has been led by quarterback Dalton Ritchey (Sr.), running back Niko Madison (Sr.) and wide receiver Kyle Warner (Sr.). They have helped the Lutes average 384.8 total yards per game.

Ritchey has completed 72 of 117 passes for 61.5% accuracy. He has thrown for 769 yards and nine touchdowns with six interceptions. Ritchey also has contributed 335 rushing yards and five touchdowns on the ground.

Madison has rushed 58 times for 441 yards (7.6 avg.) and five touchdowns for the Lutes. He is averaging 88.2 rushing yards per game. Warner top the PLU receiving chart with 25 catches for 377 yards and seven touchdowns. He earned season-highs of seven catches and 107 yards in last week's 31-28 loss at Pacific.

Ben Welch (So., WR) ranks second in receiving with 15 catches for 107 yards. The Lutes have 16 players with at least one catch including eight with at least three catches this season.

The Pacific Lutheran defense ranks 32nd in NCAA Division III in fist downs allowed, with opponents gaining 93 first downs in five games. The Lutes have given up 320.6 yards per game, with 129.2 rushing yards and 191.4 passing yards per contest.

Blake Petersen (Sr., LB) leads PLU with 40 total tackles and is one of three Lutes with an interception. Joel Teats (Sr., LB) ranks second with 32 total tackles, including a team-high 4.5 tackles for loss and 2.0 quarterback sacks. Travis McCarthy (Sr., LB) has achieved 26 total tackles with 3.5 tackles for loss. Overall, PLU has recorded 32 tackles for loss, including 13 sacks.

Place-kicker Dallan Rodriguez (Fr.) is 21 of 21 on extra points and has connected on 1 of 2 field goals. Punter Nathan Roosendaal (Fr.) has averaged 37.2 yards with one of eight punts inside the 20.

Connor Cummings (Sr., DB) has averaged 10.1 yards on eight punt returns to rank 35th in Division III. Cummings also has averaged 24.2 yards on 13 kickoff returns, which places him 63rd in Division III.

Last year, PLU defeated Willamette 35-24 at McCulloch Stadium. The Lutes built a 28-7 halftime lead. Ritchey completed 13 of 27 passes for 196 yards and one touchdown. He also ran 22 times for 158 yards and three touchdowns. Derek Traeger (Sr., WR, Mount Angel, OR/John F. Kennedy HS) led Willamette with 11 catches for 81 yards and one score.

Willamette will travel to McMinnville, Ore., next weekend to take on #5-ranked Linfield College. Kickoff on Saturday, Nov. 1 is scheduled for 1 p.m. (PDT).