LISLE, Ill. – St. Norbert College couldn't overcome an epidemic of turnovers and ultimately lost 29-20 to Benedictine University in a Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference game at Village of Lisle-Benedictine Sports Complex.
The Green Knights (4-3, 4-1 NACC) had a four-game winning streak snapped after committing six turnovers, with three interceptions and three lost fumbles.
Things got off to an inauspicious start for St. Norbert when Benedictine's Dino Stephens broke away on a 68-yard touchdown run on the game's first play from scrimmage. The point-after try failed to keep it 6-0. Two possessions later Benedictine intercepted St. Norbert and started at the Green Knights' 29-yard line, but the defense held the Eagles to a field goal to keep the deficit 9-0.
St. Norbert broke through in the second quarter, with Francisco Rodriguez (pictured) finding
Nick White on a 5-yard touchdown with 11:21 left before halftime. Following a missed St. Norbert field-goal try, Benedictine connected on another big play with Marcus Martin hitting Tristan Weglarz on a 46-yard touchdown for a 16-7 lead with 5:31 left in the quarter. The Green Knights would get a pair of field goals before halftime, on tries of 23 and 36 yards by
Tyler Juergensen to cut the deficit to 16-13 at the rest stop.
Benedictine got the third quarter's lone points on a 23-yard field goal by Carter Velez for a 19-13 edge. St. Norbert would respond later in the third and early in the fourth quarter with a 10-play, 94-yard drive to take a 20-19 lead with 12:31 to go on a
Jacob McVane 2-yard touchdown run. Benedictine answered to retake the lead on a 22-yard field goal from Velez with 7:36 left. The Green Knights then lost a fumble in their own end to set up the Eagles on a short field, with the host scoring on a 17-yard pass from Martin to Jason Moore for a 29-20 lead with 3:22 to go.
St. Norbert held a 368-367 edge in total offense. Rodriguez completed 23 of 34 passes for 311 yards and one touchdown. White caught six passes for 97 yards and a touchdown, while McVane had five receptions for 102 yards adding 38 more yards on the ground.
Martin completed 15 of 32 passes for 215 yards with two touchdowns and one interception, while Stephens rushed 17 times for 124 yards and one score.
Cory Burton,
Jim Feeney and
Beau Allison all had six tackles to share the St. Norbert team lead in stops.
Eamonn Murphy had St. Norbert's lone interception.
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