Football dominates second half in 27-12 win at Cal Lutheran
ORANGE, Calif. – Another dominant defensive effort and big days from junior Jacob Isabel and Joe Mudie led the Chapman University football team to a 27-12 road win at Cal Lutheran. The defense allowed less than 300 yards for the second game in a row and the Panthers (4-3, 3-2 SCIAC) moved above .500 for the first time this season.
Chapman trailed 12-7 in the second quarter but went on to score the final 20 points of the contest to win its second game in a row. Junior QB Ricky Bautista was efficient through the air, completing 18-of-21 passes for 236 yards and three touchdowns. He also ran for six yards, including a one-yard touchdown in the third quarter.
Bautista's favorite target was Isabel as he found him six times for 113 yards, including a pair of long TDs. The two hooked up for a 39-yard score that gave the Panthers a 7-6 lead in the first and again for a 33-yard touchdown in the third that put the Panthers out in front 14-12 in the third.
Meanwhile, the Chapman defense nearly shut down the Cal Lutheran offense in the second half, forcing three punts and a turnover on downs before sealing the game with an interception. The Kingsmen's longest drive of the half spanned just 41 yards over six plays. In their five drives in the second half, Cal Lutheran never moved inside Chapman's 30 yard line.
Chapman's shortest drive in the second half was a 6-play, 66-yrd drive that ended with Isabel's second touchdown. The Panthers had a 13-play TD drive as well as drives of eight and seven plays that ate away over eight minutes of the fourth quarter.
Mudie was the Panthers workhorse during the long drives. He carried the ball 30 times for 141 yards – both career-highs. Bautista spread the ball around to six different receivers, hitting senior Ethan Weinstein three times for 58 yards and sophomore Dominic Vaccher five times for 37 yards. Bautista's third TD was a two-yard toss to sophomore Ben Bruce.
Sophomore Andrew Dieken had 2.5 sacks to lead the Panthers up front. Senior Miles Ahles matched Dieken with four tackles but also picked off Adam Friederichsen late in the fourth quarter in the fourth quarter for his second INT of the season.
The Panthers outgained the Kingsmen 401-284 in the dominant win, allowing just Friederichsen to complete just 9-of-20 passes for 146 yards.
The Panthers play their last road game of the season next Saturday when they travel to Claremont-Mudd-Scripps for a 1 p.m. kickoff.
by Steven Olveda
Sports Information Director
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