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Western Illinois University Athletics

Lance Lenoir
Jake Thompson
Lance Lenoir became the MVFC all-time leader in receptions.
35
Winner Western Illinois WIU 6-2 , 3-2
34
South Dakota USD 4-4 , 3-2
Winner
Western Illinois WIU
6-2 , 3-2
35
Final
34
South Dakota USD
4-4 , 3-2
Score By Quarters
Team 1st 2nd 3rd 4th F
WIU Western Illinois 14 0 14 7 35
USD South Dakota 17 14 0 3 34

Game Recap: Football | | WIU Athletic Communications

Leathernecks Do It Again

Fourth quarter comeback in the final minute and missed field goal sends WIU to 35-34 win

VERMILLION, S.D. – Another road game, another win secured in the final minute. Sean McGuire's two-yard touchdown pass to Joey Borsellino with 32 seconds left, Nathan Knuffman's extra point and a missed 54-yard field goal as time expired sent Western Illinois to a 35-34 Missouri Valley Football Conference win at South Dakota.
 
In the game, senior wide receiver Lance Lenoir became the MVFC all-time leader in pass receptions (255).
 
The 13th-ranked Leathernecks improved to 6-2 overall and 3-2 in the MVFC while the 25th-ranked Coyotes (4-4, 3-2) fell for the first time at home this year. Western's sixth win makes the team playoff eligible, matching last year's win total during the regular season with three games remaining to play. That marked Western's fourth win this year decided in the final minute.
 
Down by 17 at the half, Western cut the deficit to three points late in the third quarter. Miles Bergner hit a 21-yard field goal in the fourth quarter. With the ball and five minutes remaining, Chris Streveler threw a 69-yard pass to Brandt Van Roekel to get in the redzone. Facing 3rd-and-goal at the 1, Josh Smith forced a fumble on Trevor Bouma and Brett Taylor recovered in the endzone for a touchback.
 
McGuire and the offense began the march down the field at 4:33 remaining. He connected with Lenoir for 25 yards on 3rd-and-5 to move the chains. At midfield, McGuire found Jaelon Acklin for 28 yards on 4th-and-10.
 
The sophomore quarterback connected with Tony Harper for 13 yards setting up 1st-and-goal at the nine. Two plays later, McGuire rushed down to the two before finding Borsellino on the game-tying touchdown. Knuffman nailed his fifth extra point of the game to take the lead.
 
USD used three pass plays to get in WIU territory. After three incomplete passes, including a dropped one, Bergner came on to win the game. He had the distance but missed wide left as Western won its fourth road game of the season.
 
"It's a trademark of this team. A lot of resolve, we're not going to give in to anybody I can tell you that right now. Anyone, anywhere that's who we are. We fight as one and we're going to fight it out to the end and no one is going to out-fight us," said Leatherneck head coach Charlie Fisher. "I've said that repeatedly, that's our identity, that's who we are and that is what we're going to be."
 
The second half rally started on the opening drive. Western marched 75 yards in eight plays, capped by McGuire's six-yard rushing TD. Later in the quarter, WIU went 61 yards on 10 plays that culminated on Jamie Gilmore's nine-yard scoring run to make it 31-28.
 
"(In the second half) We just played better. I know that sounds cliché, but we ran the same plays just executed them better," said Fisher. "I don't know what got into us in the first half exactly, maybe we played a little tight trying too hard. Everyone trying to make too many plays so to speak. Once we settled in and started to get in a rhythm we were much better."
 
After both teams punted on their first possession, USD used two big pass plays to strike first – a 45-yarder on third down and followed by a 20-yard touchdown pitch from Chris Streveler to Trystn Ducker. Western wasted no time tying the score.
 
Steve McShane took the second play of the drive and broke through the right side on a 55-yard touchdown. Knuffman tied the score after his point-after attempt.
 
The Coyotes used a 27-yard field goal to take a 10-7 lead with 7:18 left in the opening quarter. However, Western took the lead just over a minute later using a big pass play that tied the conference all-time receptions record.
 
McGuire hit Isaiah Lesure down the middle for a 57-yard pass play, and then two plays later, Lenoir tied the MVFC record following the seven-yard TD catch as Knuffman made it 14-10.
 
USD responded by driving into the redzone. The Leathernecks held on third down, but on the field goal attempt was called for offsides, setting up 1st-and-goal on the seven. Streveler connected with Dakarai Allen on a 7-yard score and eventual 17-14 lead. Taking advantage of an interception return to the 10, USD took a 10-point lead on Bouma's four-yard scoring run. The 24 unanswered first half points were capped by a one-yard scoring run by Streveler.
 
USD had 320 yards of offense in the first half and gained 16 first downs to Western's four.
 
Lenoir broke another record during the third quarter on a 35-yard reception on third down. He overtook fourth place all-time in MVFC history in receiving yards (3,634 yards). The senior finished with a team-leading 111 yards on six catches, his WIU record 14th career 100-yard game.
 
McGuire completed 20-of-39 passes for 286 yards and two TD passes with an interception. He also rushed for 30 yards and a score.
 
McShane registered his third 100-yard rushing game this year, gaining 112 yards on 13 attempts.
 
Taylor and Quentin Moon led the defense again. Taylor recorded a game-high and season-high 15 tackles (11 solos) and recovered the key fumble. Moon added 12 stops (10 solos), including three tackles for a loss.
 
Taylor entered the game second nationally averaging a MVFC-leading 7.4 solo tackles per game. His 10.7 tackles per game average coming into the contest ranked him eighth. Moon was ninth in the MVFC averaging 7.7 tackles per game.
 
Streveler threw for 373 yards and two touchdowns while rushing for 102 yards and another score. Van Roekel caught four passes for 137 yards.
 
USD eventually out-gained Western 527-454 yards, and for the first time this year, Western lost the time of possession battle (31:47-28:13). Western was also 7-of-16 on third downs while the Coyotes were 8-of-19.
 
The Leathernecks return to Hanson Field for the first of two straight home games, beginning next Saturday (Nov. 5) versus Illinois State. Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m. For ticket information call (309) 298-1190 or online at www.GoLeathernecks.com.
 
GAME NOTES: Lenoir extended his streak to 38 consecutive games with a reception… Borsellino extended his streak to 31 games with a reception following a catch on the opening drive of the third quarter… McGuire moved into a three-way tie for fourth place all-time for most rushing TDs by a quarterback (Paul Singer, Sam Clemons)… Lenoir is now behind UNI's Eddie Berlin (3,735), South Dakota State junior Jake Wieneke (3,785), and UNI's Dedric Ward (3,876)… Lenoir also joined the WIU season 'Top 10' in catches (58/Tied-10th) and yards (931/9th). He is the only player in program history to rank in each season category three different times. Lenoir also overtook third place all-time in all-purpose yards (4,608)… McGuire surpassed 3,000 career passing yards, most coming in his 12 career starts (3,187)… Attendance was 8,412… The four road wins are the most since 2003 (five), and Western finished with a winning record in October (3-2)... Penalties finished 6-for-50 for WIU and only one for five yards for USD… The win extended Western's win streak to five straight over the Coyotes.
 
 
 
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