Photo by: Tony Leon/ActionWestPhotography.com

AUSTIN, Calif. - The Whittier College Football team suffered their second straight loss Saturday but battled with the Roos of Austin College falling 30-17 on the road.

After a shutout loss in week one to No. 19 Whitworth University, the Purple & Gold came back strong against Austin College totaling 322 total yards of offense (251 Passing/71 Rushing).  

The Roos got on the scoreboard first with a 37 yard field goal on their opening possession.  Following a Poet three and out, Austin College would answer with the first touchdown of the game as Woodyard would connect with Mucerino from 18 yards out.

AC would add another score to begin the second quarter to extend their lead to 17-0.

Whittier finally got the first points on the board on their next possession off the foot of Eric Voss (Temecula, Calif.) who connected on a 34-yard field goal.  The defensive unit for the Purple & Gold would then stand strong forcing a Roos punt and WC would capitalize going 90 yards on five plays covering 3:23 on their ensuing series capped off with Matthew Valencia (Commerce, Calif.) finding Steven Short (Seattle, WA) for a 27-yard hookup that cut the deficit to seven heading into the break.

Whittier received the opening kick-off in the second half but would turn it over right away as Valencia would be picked off that kept the ball in Poet territory.  The defensive unit again stood strong though and held the Roos to just a field goal that moved the score to 20-10.

WC would wrap up the third quarter with an extensive drive that covered 86 yards on six plays and Valencia would wrap up the series with a four-yard connection to Joey Willm (Arcadia, Calif.) that kept Whittier within a touchdown.

This would be as close as Whittier would get however as the Roos' would clamp down on the defensive side of the ball, while adding another field goal and touchdown that secured the victory.

Valencia finished the game 16-26 for 251 yards and two touchdowns.  Miguel Redmond (San Jose, Calif.) led the rushing attack with 10 carries for 36 yards and Short led the receiving core with four catches for 81 yards and a touchdown.  

Bryson Sanders (Manteca, Calif.) also had a big day as a wideout hauling in five catches for 73 yards averaging 14.6 yards per catch.

On kickoffs, Brian Phelan (Chino Hills, Calif.) had a day returning three kickoffs for a combined 54 yards averaging 18 yards a return.

Defensively, Gregorio Verdugo (San Diego, Calif.) and Austin Brasher (El Segundo, Calif.) each finished with 10 tackles apiece.  Brasher also had a sack for a seven yard loss and three tackles for losses.  Lorenzo Mena (San Gabriel, Calif.) was next with seven tackles.                   

Whittier opens up Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) play on the road this Saturday, September 24 as they take on Claremont-M-S beginning at 1:00pm.