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Western Illinois University Athletics

Isaiah LeSure
Larry Dean
34
Winner North Dakota State NDSU 6-0 , 3-0
7
Western Illinois WIU 2-4 , 1-2
Winner
North Dakota State NDSU
6-0 , 3-0
34
Final
7
Western Illinois WIU
2-4 , 1-2
Score By Quarters
Team 1st 2nd 3rd 4th F
NDSU North Dakota State 3 14 7 10 34
WIU Western Illinois 0 7 0 0 7

Game Recap: Football |

LeSure Has Career Day; Turnovers Plague Leathernecks vs. NDSU

Isaiah LeSure put on a show for the offense but turnovers helped NDSU to score half of its points.

MACOMB, Ill. –Western Illinois welcomed No. 1 North Dakota State, the reigning Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) champions, to Hanson Field Saturday and wide receiver Isaiah LeSure put on a show. He finished the game with a career-high, game-high 170 receiving yards and posted the Leathernecks' lone touchdown in the 34-7 setback.  
Takeaways proved to be the biggest factor of the game as NDSU scored half of its points on Western miscues – a fumble recovery and a pair of interceptions – and all three occurred in Leatherneck territory. 

"As a staff and football program, we believed we should have won this game. We could have won this game, but we didn't play well enough to do that. No question, we had way too many self-inflicted wounds," said head coach Jared Elliott. "Turnovers absolutely killed us. When you play a really good football team, you have got to be more efficient, and you've got to be more effective and take care of the football. We didn't do that tonight." 

A 47-yard field goal ended Western's five-game streak of scoring first, but the scoreboard read 7-3 in favor of the Purple & Goal at the start of the second quarter. The drive began with Western standing at its 13-yard line and the eight-play, 87-yard drive saw LeSure showcase his hops on two separate occasions. En route to his 10th career receiving touchdown, he hauled in a leaping grab over two Bison defenders to move the chains 30 yards, and the drive concluded in the end zone on a similar play. 

NDSU responded with a touchdown on the next drive, and a fumble returned for another score helped the Bison enter halftime with a 17-7 advantage. 

Trailing 24-7 in the third quarter, LeSure assisted the Leathernecks to a solid scoring opportunity with his 100th receiving yard of the day. He managed 52 yards on the drive, highlighted by a 20-yard pass that put Western at the NDSU37, but two plays resulted in a loss of yards, and the stretch ended at the 46-yard line. 

"We've challenged [Isaiah] and needed him to step up and make plays. We're very proud of his effort, and he'll continue to work hard and build on his performance tonight," said Elliott." 

Western's next best chance occurred in the final minutes of the game where Connor Sampson drove the team 76 yards to NDSU's five-yard line before an interception capped the game. 

The Leathernecks (2-4, 1-2 MVFC) will hit the road next Saturday for a 2 p.m. meeting at Missouri State. 

Notes

•    Isaiah LeSure has 10 career receiving touchdowns, the most on the Leathernecks' active roster
•    LeSure finished the game with a career-high, game-high 170 receiving yards on 12 catches; it marked the second 100-yard performance of his career
•    Pete Swenson moved to ninth all-time in Western history with 37 tackles for loss
•    Xavier Rowe currently ties for fifth all-time with 25 pass breakups; he recorded two versus the Bison and added six tackles
•    Khalen Saunders posted a career-high 11 tackles with a pair of sacks and three total tackles for loss 
•    Steve McShane posted a 55-yard kick return Saturday to mark his second 50-plus yard return of the season 
•    Quarterback Connor Sampson entered the game in the fourth quarter and went 4-for-7 with 78 yards
 
 
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