PUYALLUP, Wash. – Chidubem Nnoli ran five yards to the end zone in overtime and the No. 6 Linfield Wildcats escaped with a 16-10 Northwest Conference victory over the Pacific Lutheran Lutes Saturday afternoon at Sparks Stadium.
 
Nnoli carried 20 times for a game-high 84 yards, including four times for 20 yards in overtime, giving Linfield just enough offense to hold off upset-minded PLU.

How it played out 
The game nearly went to a second overtime period after Willy Warne's potential game-winning 27-yard field goal attempt sailed wide right. But a roughing-the-kicker penalty gave Linfield the ball at the PLU 5-yard line, setting up Nnoli's clinching run.
 
Linfield (6-1, 5-0 NWC) moved within one victory of securing at least a share of its ninth straight conference championship as well as the league's automatic berth to the NCAA playoffs. The Wildcats have two chances to clinch the title: at home Saturday against Puget Sound, or at Pacific on November 11.
 
PLU (2-4, 2-4 NWC) nearly put an end to a 17-game series losing streak to Linfield. The Lutes led 10-7 at the intermission but were held scoreless after that.

1st Half 
PLU got on the scoreboard five minutes into the opening quarter, getting a 29-yard field goal by Alex Brost to cap an 11-play first-quarter drive.
 
Linfield answered with a 7-yard touchdown catch by J.D. Lasswell from Aiden Wilder with 6:48 remaining in the second quarter. The Lutes regained the lead less than three minutes later when Jacob King pulled in a touchdown pass from backup quarterback Walker LaVoy.
 
PLU held Linfield to 50 yards in the first half while controlling the ball for seven more minutes. The Lutes totaled 166 first-half yards behind the passing of quarterback Cole Chandler. But Chandler, who completed six of his first eight passes, was sacked by Asa Schwartz late in the first quarter, injuring an ankle on the play.
 
2nd Half
With its offense largely ineffective in the opening two quarters, Linfield opted to insert freshman quarterback Wyatt Smith to begin the second half. In the third quarter, Smith piloted the Wildcats on game-tying 11-play drive that began the Linfield 17 before stalling at the PLU 7. When Dawson Ruhl was stopped short of the first down at the 7, Warne evened the game at 10 with a 27-yard field goal with 1:25 left in the third quarter.
 
Forced to call upon their backup quarterbacks, neither team could penetrate the other's defense for the better part of the second half. The Wildcats and Lutes combined for just 84 yards in the fourth quarter, 32 by Linfield. Neither club crossed midfield in the quarter.
 
PLU's best chance to win came early in the third quarter. The Lutes marched 77 yards in 12 plays to the Linfield 14, but LaVoy's pass was intercepted by Andrew Schweiterman at the 5. Bouyed by Schweiterman's interception, the Wildcats rode the momentum to Warne's tying field goal. That drive was extended by completions from Smith to Lasswell of 16 and 20 yards.
 
Overtime
PLU took possession to start from the 25-yard line. On first down, Nate Sample broke up La Voy's pass to King at the goal line, averting what would have been sure touchdown. Two more plays netted one yard, and on fourth down, Brost's 38-yard field goal attempt was blocked by Wade Ransom.
 
In its turn on offense in overtime, Nnoli carried three straight times to the PLU 11 before Warne trotted onto the field to end the game on third down. His attempt was no good, but the Lutes' Carson Ketter was flagged for roughing the kicker, spotting the ball at the 5. Nnoli broke tackles before just barely reaching the ball across the goal line.
 
Stat check
PLU outgained Linfield 292-185, including a 250-66 disparity in the passing column. Wilder completed 5 of 11 throws for 10 yards and one TD. Smith was 6 of 8 for 56 yards but he was sacked three times.
 
Walker played well for PLU in relief, completing 13 of 24 passes for 175 yards.
 
Keyell Davis, making his first career start at safety in place of injured regular Duke Mackle, made a team-high 10 tackles. Jason Farlow was credited with nine tackles, one sack and a fumble recovery.
 
'Cat Scratch
Saturday's attendance was 1,670. . . the Wildcats converted just 4 of 13 third-down plays compared to PLU's 7 of 14. . . Nnoli, who was limited to 12 yards rushing in the first half, had his streak of consecutive 100-yard rushing games halted at four. . . Colton Ramos averaged 40.8 yards on eight punts.
 
Next
Linfield plays its final regular-season home game Saturday when the Wildcats host the Puget Sound Loggers at 1 p.m. Linfield's graduating seniors and their parents will be honored prior to kickoff at Maxwell Field.