PORTLAND, Ore. -- Senior Kian Lutu has played in 28 games in a Lewis & Clark Pioneers football uniform, and as he and 19 of his teammates were honored prior to their final home game, the native Hawaiian left his mark on the entire team.

In the literal sense, Lutu's family shared leis with the entire coaching staff, which they wore on the sidelines of Lewis & Clark's 26-7 loss to Pacific Lutheran on Saturday in pouring rain at Griswold Stadium.

Figuratively, though, Lutu and the seniors will be remembered most for helping the 2015 edition of Lewis & Clark football be remembered as "Men of Excellence," a mantra instilled by first-year head coach Jay Locey and his staff.

"It's great to be out there with my brothers," said senior defensive back Josh Cena. "I've been there since day one and we all know what we've been through. Maybe it doesn't show it on the scoreboard every week, but we fight together, we lose together and win together.

"I'm going to remember this for the rest of my life. The five years on Griswold, I'll remember those for the rest of my life."

Down 13-0 in the third quarter after Pacific Lutheran touchdowns - a 3-yard run by Mark Gallant and a 25-yard reception by Beau Lockmer - Lewis & Clark scored first in the second half when freshman starting quarterback Mike Machado passed to classmate Bryce Johnson for a 30-yard score, bringing the Pios within six points at the 9:10 mark of the third quarter.

Despite the Lewis & Clark defense forcing a punt on the next PLU drive, the Pioneers couldn't put together back-to-back scoring possessions. Instead, the Pios punted with 4:06 left in the third quarter, and Pacific Lutheran scored on a 10-play, 70-yard drive when Gallant scored on a 25-yard run.

Lewis & Clark went three-and-out on its next two drives, including a fumble on third-and-2 when Machado, winding to throw, lost the grip on the football in the rainy conditions and PLU's Maurice Rodriguez recovered the ball at the Lewis & Clark 30-yard line.

On the first play of the ensuing drive, PLU freshman quarterback Walker LaVoy, who was making his first-ever start, threw his second career touchdown pass, this time to Garrett Hittner, for a 30-yard TD in the mid-fourth quarter to lift the Lutes to the victory.

Machado finished 14 of 28 for 174 yards with a touchdown and interception. Senior running back Josh Bocker ran five times for 11 yards, while freshman Daniel Dennis led all receivers with 122 yards on five catches.

Dennis' 58-yard reception in the second quarter put the Pios at the PLU 12-yard line, but Lewis & Clark couldn't get a score. On second-and-9 from the PLU 11-yard line, Machado's back corner pass to Carl Appleton fell off his fingertips, and the Pios failed to score on the next two plays, turning it over on downs.

"It was obviously a big factor in terms of a play here and play there that could have changed the outcome, and that's generally the case, but especially in this game," said Locey on this game being one of inches. "It could have been a different deal at 13-7, and I think a difference in a play here or there could have made a big difference."

Junior quarterback Niko Fortino played the final series of each half, throwing two interceptions: the first by Isaiah Watkins ended the second quarter, with another coming on the fifth play of the Pios' final drive of the game, this time by Reggie Collins on a 30-yard pass to the goal line. Lewis & Clark had four turnovers in the game.

The weather conditions and field position played a factor throughout the game. PLU started five of its 13 possessions past their own 40-yard line. The Lutes two first half scoring drives started at midfield and the PLU 48-yard line. Meanwhile, Lewis & Clark started its first four drives of the game plus the initial five of the second half from its own 30-yard line or worse.

Still, the result was the second-closest margin in a game at Griswold in the last two seasons for a team seeking its first win since a 60-30 home victory in October 2013. The 26 points allowed to Pacific Lutheran were the fewest by a conference opponent since that same game, and since last year's season finale at George Fox, which was a 30-12 loss.

"They did an outstanding job," Locey said of the seniors. "You realize the finality of it, as they laid a foundation for this group and program.

"I thought they played extremely hard, with great effort, energy and enthusiasm, and outstanding focus. They've been great leaders for us all year long and I'm really proud of them and how they've had grit and tenaciousness in what they've done."

Remington Campbell led the Pioneers with 12 tackles, while senior Stein Retzlaff added seven. Fellow senior Deion Mock had six in his final home game, as did sophomores Thor Retzlaff and Dylan Stacy.

Lewis & Clark has one more game on Nov. 14, playing a 12:30 p.m. contest at Whitworth in Spokane, Wash.

Cena says even with the Senior Day activities and all the build-up, it's important to remember the season is not over.

"We have one game left," said Cena. "This is really the one that you have to go out and give everything you've got.

"I hope I have to have someone carry me off the field, that would be the goal. Not just for the seniors, but you never know when it will be your last game, so even those younger guys too. We're going to work hard for that one."

Last season, the Pioneers opened the season at Whitworth. Curtis Shirey's 93-yard kickoff return touchdown and Colin Brown's 34-yard field goal were the Pios' only points in a 63-10 loss.