DC Falls to Mount St Joseph, 44-31

CINCINNATI, Ohio – The Defiance College Football team fell to Mount St. Joseph College Saturday afternoon 44-31, snapping the Yellow Jackets 3-game win streak.

Defiance (3-4, 3-2 Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference) were unable to recover from a 20-point Lions (4-2, 4-1 HCAC) third quarter and dropped the contest despite out performing its opponent in offense for the seventh straight game this season.

The teams began the second half tied at 17, but Mount St. Joseph scored quickly on a 34-yard run followed by a 22-yard to begin the half to take a lead that it never relinquished. On MSJ's next drive, they scored on a 54-yard pass play to quickly add six more points.

The Lions added another touchdown before the end of the half to take a 37-17 lead.

The Yellow Jackets got on the scoreboard first in the game when Andrew Feldhaus picked off his fifth pass of the year and returned it 18 yards for a touchdown.

The Lions responded with a field goal, but DC quickly made it 14-3 late in the first quarter with a 76-yard touchdown pass from Alex Larson to Trey White.

Larson finished with 268 yards passing on 25 completions. He had one touchdown and two interceptions in the game.

White finished with a career-high 141 yards receiving on 10 receptions and the touchdown.

In the second quarter, the Lions capitalized on a mistake by DC, as the Yellow Jackets turned the ball over on a fumble. With short field position, Mount St. Joseph scored a touchdown to cut DC's lead to 14-10.

Two drives later, Mount St. Joseph took the lead with a short 42-yard drive after capitalizing on good field position. The Lions 17-14 lead lasted for just a few minutes as DC drove down the field and Spencer Saunders kicked a field goal to tie the game at 17 heading into the half.

Early in the fourth quarter, the Yellow Jackets cut the lead to 37-24 after Daniel Collins capped off a 66-yard drive with a 6-yard touchdown run.

Collins finished with two touchdowns on 36-yards rushing.

The Yellow Jackets were looking to cut the score to a one-possession game on its next drive, but a fumble ended the treat. On the next drive, Larson threw an interception that was returned 72 yards for a touchdown that sealed the victory for the Lions.

Collins scored another touchdown for DC with 33 seconds remaining in the game. The score came on a 2-yard run, cutting the lead to the final score of 44-31.

Defiance will return home to Justin F. Coressel Stadium next Saturday as the Yellow Jackets look to get back to .500 on the year against Hanover College. Kickoff is set for 1:30 p.m.