The tandem of Kash Taylor and Brandon Boyd led a Pacific rushing game to 291 yards on the ground in a 30-20 loss to Whitworth on Saturday afternoon.

The Boxers (3-3, 3-2 NWC) ground game outgained the Pirates, 291 to 209 but it was a pair of long touchdown runs by Mason Elms of Whitworth that proved to be part of the difference in the loss. Senior Brandon Boyd (Gilroy, Calif) had his fifth 100-yard game of the season, grinding out 157 yards on 21 carries. Freshman Kash Taylor (Hemet, Calif.) nearly had his first 100-yard game with a 96-yard effort on 12 carriers and a touchdown.

The Pirates (6-2, 3-2 NWC) demonstrated the ability to run and throw the ball in the win. Quarterback Ian Kolste threw for 240 yards, completing 28 of 42 passes in the win, plus Elms ran for 152 yards on 16 carries to go along with his two touchdowns. Kicker Rehn Reiley had three point-after attempts and a pair of field goals in the win.

The two teams scored on their first drives of the game but the difference was Pacific found the end zone on its drive. The Boxers' defense held the Pirates out of the end zone after they reached the three-yard line. The Pacific offense came on to the field and marched down the field on the strength of Boyd, who caught a 11-yard pass and had a 57-yard run to set up first and goal. On the next play, Taylor ran it in from seven yards out but the Pirates blocked the point-after attempt that put Pacific ahead 6-3.

Later in the quarter, the Pirates picked back up the momentum, stopping the Boxers on 4th and 1. After a third down conversion, Elms ran through the line and 45 yards later into the end zone to put Whitworth back in front 10-6. The Pirates added to their lead in the second quarter on an 82-yard punt return by Garrett McKay for a 17-6 advantage. The Boxers called on its ground game to cut into the lead. Boyd and Taylor moved Pacific down the field, including a 33-yard rush by Taylor. On the next play, sophomore wide receiver Kobe Williams (Las Vegas, Nev.) took the ball on a handoff and raced around the left side for a 30-yard touchdown run. The touchdown cut the Pirates' lead to 17-13. Reiley made his first of two field goals to end the first half, making a 38-yard attempt for a 20-13 lead in favor of the visitors. A takeaway midway through the third quarter led to a Whitworth field goal to stretch the margin to 10, 23-13. Later in the quarter, after a failed field goal attempt by the Boxers, the Pirates capitalized on it when Elms broke off an 87-yard touchdown run to extend the advantage to 30-13 in favor of the visitors.

The Boxers got back on the scoreboard with its first drive of the fourth quarter. Senior Chad Aragon (Honolulu, Hawaii) started the drive with a 33-yard pass completion from J.T. Greenough (Tigard, Ore.). Facing a 4th and 3 play, Boyd extended the drive with 12 yard run and later in the drive on its second 4th down play of the drive, Greenough connected with senior Griffin Christenson (Hudson, Wis.) for a five-yard touchdown pass. It is the first touchdown of the Pacific career for the graduate optometry student at Pacific. After the two teams traded punts, Whitworth kept the Pacific offense off the field in the final 6:06, converting a third down play and a fake punt on 4th down.

Despite the loss, Pacific accumulated a season-high 291 yards on the ground -  the most since a 296-yard effort against Lewis & Clark (Oct. 15, 2016). For Boyd, in four of his five 100-yard games he has ran for over 125 yards. Three members of the Boxers' secondary Fresno Masaniai, Ryan Sinkking and Kolby Nikolaisen each had a hand on six stops to lead the Pacific defense. Fellow defensive back Kaiea Iwasaki had five tackles and a pair of pass breakups.

Next, Pacific takes its final road trip of the season when they will face Willamette on Saturday, Nov. 4 at 1 p.m. in Salem.

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