Box Score PORTLAND, OR – The Pomona-Pitzer Football team took their first win of the season with a 21-17 comeback win at Lewis & Clark on Saturday afternoon.
Junior Aseal Birir rushed for 151 yards on the ground and tallied two touchdowns on the day.
Sophomore Edward Sias threw for 199 yards while completing 15 of 26 passes and connected with sophomore Ryan McGee for one touchdown through the air.
Junior Kevin Masini led the receiving core with four receptions for 91 yards with his longest reception at 30 yards.
Neither team could find the endzone in the first quarter but the Sagehens started out the scoring early in the second quarter as they marched down the field and Birir capped off an eight play 48-yard drive with a four-yard touchdown run to give Pomona-Pitzer a 7-0 lead.
Lewis & Clark responded with a long drive down the field but the Sagehen defense stalled out the Pioneers' 13 play drive with a 38-yard field goal to cut the lead down to 7-3.
The Pioneers put together a drive late in the first half and took the lead with 1:34 left before halftime on a 25-yard touchdown pass to take a 10-7 lead over the Sagehens.
Lewis & Clark took their largest lead of the game with 9:04 left in the third quarter as Niko Fortino tossed his second touchdown pass of the day to push the Pioneers' lead to 17-7.
On the ensuing drive, the Sagehens took advantage of some costly Lewis & Clark penalties and put together a quick four play 68-yard scoring drive capped off by a Sias touchdown to McGee to cut the lead down to 17-14.
The Sagehens reclaimed the lead early in the fourth quarter as Birir broke free for a 29-yard run to put Pomona-Pitzer on top, 21-17.
The Pomona-Pitzer defense stepped up in the second half as they forced the Pioneer offense into multiple third down plays. The Sagehens also tallied three sacks in the second half coming from senior Brian Rauzi, senior Charles Fries and senior Sean Cremin.
The offense was able to get the ball back and run out the clock in the fourth quarter to earn the first win of the season on the road.
The Sagehens next take a week off before traveling to conference opponent Chapman on Saturday, October 1st at 7:00 p.m.
