Occidental mounted an impressive comeback to win its
24th consecutive regular-season game Saturday, edging
Cal Lutheran 28-27 at Mount Clef Stadium in Thousand
Oaks. The victory improves the Tigers to 7-0, 5-0
SCIAC, and clears the way for the programs' third consecutive
SCIAC championship.
Cal Lutheran led 21-0 after a seven-yard touchdown run by Jesse
Matlock with 4:44 remaining in the first half. Occidental
switched to a no-huddle offense on the next possession and mounted
a nine-play, 71-yard drive, capped by a three-yard touchdown
scamper by Matt Andersen '08. Cal Lutheran's Connor Pearce
kicked a 20-yard field goal moments later to make the score 24-7 at
halftime.
Occidental then scored on three straight possessions in the
second half beginning with a 13-yard touchdown pass from Andy
Collins '07 to Chris Washington '10 just two minutes and 56 seconds
into the third quarter. Pearce nailed a 38-yard field goal to
stretch the Kingsmen lead to 27-14 moments later but the Tigers
answered with an eight-play, 65-yard drive and a four-yard
touchdown pass to Washington with 5:39 remaining in the third.
Trailing 27-21, Occidental got a key interception from defensive
lineman Robert Theofanis '07, wiping out a 13-play, 67-yard
Kingsmen drive. The Tigers took possession at their own
16-yard line and marched the length of the field, scoring on a
one-yard touchdown run by Andersen with 12:28 remaining.
Anthony Ostland '08 sacked Danny Jones on 3rd and 17
to stall the next Cal Lutheran possession at the Oxy 46.
Pearce missed a 59-yard field goal attempt as time expired.
Collins completed 21 of 31 attempts for 236 yards with two
touchdowns and rushed 27 times for a season-high 105 yards.
Jones went 20 of 36 for 279 yards and two touchdowns but tossed the
critical interception. Cal Lutheran out-gained Occidental 560
to 377 and out-rushed the Tigers 281-141.
Kyle Stowers '06 led the Tiger defense with seven stops and two
pass breakups. Jeremy Gruber '07 and Joe Zackary '07 added 6
½ tackles apiece. Alex Groh '10 launched a 62-yard
punt after the Tigers' first possession and booted a 52-yarder late
in the first half to lengthen the field for the Oxy defense.
The Tigers take a break from SCIAC play next weekend and travel
to Orange, Calif. for a 7pm date with Chapman University.
Chapman (2-4), which lost to Cal Lutheran 34-14 Oct. 21, plays
Pomona-Pitzer Saturday night at Wilson Field.
