LA VERNE, CA — A fourth-quarter touchdown pass and the succeeding point-after attempt were the only points the University of La Verne football team could manage on Saturday, surrendering a 20-7 loss to the Pomona-Pitzer Sagehens at home.

First-year wideout Jimmy Rumsey collected his second touchdown of the season on a 7-yard pass from sophomore quarterback Trevor Tedesco to cut into a 17-point deficit. Rumsey managed to break a tackle after the catch with a spin move, piercing through the defense and scoring with ease. Max Jimenez remained a perfect 10-10 on PAT attempts for the season.

Both defenses clamped each other down in the first quarter as the game was scoreless headed into the second. Pomona-Pitzer went on to dominate the game in the air with 227 passing yards, but La Verne's three interceptions clawed the Leopards back into the fight.

In the second quarter, the Sagehens scored first on a 1-yard touchdown run from starting quarterback Sander Wimmer. After La Verne failed to score on their following drive, the Leopards' first-year linebacker Devin Martin intercepted Wimmer for the team's first pick. Wimmer did not take another snap under center.

Pomona-Pitzer came out of the halftime break and scored on the opening drive to start the third quarter. Senior wide receiver Quentin Wimmer took a direct snap from the 2-yard line and rushed up the middle with a helpful push from his teammates for the score. Sagehens' senior kicker Cameron Shirangi nailed his second successful PAT and later notched two field goals.

The Sagehens forced the ball over on downs and the offense came out going for the jugular immediately. First-year quarterback Grady Russo threw for the end zone but Leopards' sophomore cornerback Hector Facio came down with the interception.

Then in the fourth quarter, on another heave from Russo toward the end zone, Jomar Brown deflected the ball off and Facio sprawled out to make a two-handed catch. The El Paso, Texas native collected his first two collegiate interceptions for a couple of the Leopards' best defensive plays of the game.

This young Leopards' team has been on the mend, battling injuries and the grind of the fall, and has approached the tail end of the schedule. When asked how his team can continue to grow, head coach Chris Krich admits it comes down to avoiding penalties.

"We're so close," Krich said. "One of the things I'd like to see us do a little better job of is minimizing our penalties and mistakes. From that standpoint, it's hard for us to gain positive things on the field if we're starting off backward."

The Leopards have two games remaining for the 2023 regular season schedule.Their penultimate matchup on Saturday, Oct. 28 will be on the road at the University of Redlands, with kickoff slated for 7 p.m.