Skip To Main Content

Upcoming Events and Recent Results

Western Illinois University Athletics

Brett Taylor
Brett Taylor matched a season-high of 14 tackles, including a career-high 13 solo tackles.
21
Winner North Dakota State NDSU 6-1 , 3-1
13
Western Illinois WIU 5-2 , 2-2
Winner
North Dakota State NDSU
6-1 , 3-1
21
Final
13
Western Illinois WIU
5-2 , 2-2
Score By Quarters
Team 1st 2nd 3rd 4th F
NDSU North Dakota State 7 14 0 0 21
WIU Western Illinois 3 3 7 0 13

Game Recap: Football | | WIU Athletic Communications

Missed Opportunities Cost Western Illinois in Second Half

Leathernecks drop first home game this season following the 21-13 loss to NDSU


PHOTO GALLERY

MACOMB, Ill. – Western Illinois had two field goals blocked and was stopped inches from the goal line twice during the fourth quarter as the Leathernecks dropped a 21-13 Missouri Valley Football Conference game to No. 4 North Dakota State on Saturday night (Oct. 22). It was the first home loss this season for the 12th-ranked Leathernecks (5-2 overall, 2-2 MVFC).
 
Marching down the field after NDSU (6-1, 3-1) got a touchdown pass right before halftime making it 21-6, Western completed four passes to get to the NDSU 24. The Bison defense blocked Nathan Knuffman's 41-yard attempt as the half expired.
 
The Leatherneck defense held NDSU to 133 yards in the second half and off the scoreboard. After forcing the Bison to punt on their opening drive, Western took over at their own 35.
 
Sean McGuire hit Joey Borsellino for 30 yards. Devon Moore had three straight rushes for 14 yards, then McGuire's run for 18 yards set up 1st-and-goal at the three. Jamie Gilmore scored from the left side to make it 21-13 following Knuffman's extra point.
 
On their second drive, Darron Wheeler intercepted quarterback Easton Stick at the 29, and the true-freshman returned it to the four. However, a personal foul penalty moved the ball back to the 19.
 
Western came up short on 3rd-and-10, and Knuffman's 33-yard field goal was blocked. North Dakota State drove inside the redzone, and was held on third down. Cam Pederson's field goal attempt was blocked by Khalen Saunders to keep it a one score game.
 
Western staged a 10-play drive to respond. McGuire hit Lance Lenoir for 22 yards, and the team took advantage of a personal foul penalty. The sophomore quarterback connected with Tony Harper for 24 yards to the eight. Facing 3rd-and-goal at the eight, McGuire hit Lenior across the middle, but he was stopped just shy of the goal line.
 
McGuire was stopped on fourth down, but an offsides penalty put the ball inches from the goal line. On the same play, McGuire's second effort came up short, and he would eventually fumble in the endzone for a touchback. The defense forced a three-and-out again, but the Bison would come up with two interceptions on the final two WIU drives to end the game.
 
"It was a great football game. I got great respect for North Dakota State for the way they play. It's the way I want to play; physical, tough, a down hill running game and to have the chance to go toe-to-toe with North Dakota State, you have to be able to play as physical as they do. You have to match that physicality and it's not easy," said WIU head coach Charlie Fisher. "They are a tough bunch and they do a great job against the run; they can run the ball. I am very proud with the way our kids responded in the second half. We did not play quite as well in the first half as I'd hoped, but we responded and did an outstanding job in the second half. We just didn't execute in some key situations."
 
The Bison scored first on a 3-yard TD run by King Frazier. Knuffman kicked a 29-yard field goal late in the first quarter and added a 28-yarder four minutes into the second for a 7-6 margin. Frazier added a 1-yard run with 3:25 left in the quarter, and then Stick found Jeff Illies for a 17-yard score right before half.
 
Junior linebacker Brett Taylor played a big role in the defense's effort during the second half, recording 11 of his game-high 14 tackles in the half. Of his 14 stops, he set a career-high with 13 solo tackles.
 
David Griffith added eight tackles. Wheeler came up with his first career interception, and Adam Brott got his first interception this season (return of 25 yards).
 
McGuire rushed for a career-high 37 yards and threw for 183 on 19-of-27 passing.
 
Lenoir finished with seven catches for 61 yards, now just one reception shy of tying the MVFC all-time record of 250.
 
The offense held the ball nearly five minutes longer (32:25-27:35), as Western extended its streak to every game this year holding an edge in time of possession.
 
"We just didn't execute as well as we needed to, and that's what it always comes down to the end of the day. You have to play hard, you got to play with great effort, you got to play physical, but you have to execute on a consistent basis, and we left some points out there. I give North Dakota State a lot of credit," said Fisher. "They made the plays that they had to make in the redzone. We move forward… it's one game, it's a tough loss, but we got to move forward and we can't feel sorry for ourselves, because nobody's going to feel sorry for us. As the leader of this team, I am not going to allow us to. We've got to get back up on our feet and get ready for the next game."
 
Stick finished 9-of-18 for 160 yards and a touchdown with his two interceptions. Frazier ran for 89 yards and two scores. Nate Tanguay led the defense with nine tackles.
 
Western travels to South Dakota next Saturday (Oct. 29) to play the Coyotes at 2 p.m.
 
GAME NOTES: Taylor entered the game with a MVFC-leading 6.5 solo tackles per game, good for fifth in the country. It's the 14th time in his career with 10 or more tackles in a game as his 14 stops matched a season-high (at Eastern Illinois)… Western held NDSU to 3-of-11 on third down conversions while converting 6-of-11 chances… For the eighth time in his career, Knuffman kicked two field goals in a game… Lenoir is now tied with Eddie Berlin (UNI) with 249 receptions all-time, one shy of Tyrone Walker's (Illinois State) record… Lenoir extended his streak to 37 consecutive games with a catch, and Borsellino is now at 30 straight… Western held the ball for 12:48 in the first quarter… Attendance was 5,329… Lenoir is up to 3,523 receiving yards all-time, now sixth in MVFC history… Borsellino increased his career yardage to 2,232 and is 11 yards shy of fourth place all-time in the WIU 'Top 10'… Now with 152 career solo stops, Taylor needs 10 solo tackles to tie for 10th place all-time… For the first time in his 11 starts, McGuire was held without a touchdown accounted for.
 
 
Print Friendly Version