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Printer-Friendly ModeTurnovers and sacks lead to victory
In its most explosive performance this year, SVSU improves its record to 5-2 with a season-high 40 points
October 12, 2009 —
Head football coach Jim Collins apparently knows what it takes to get his team prepared following a loss.
Since Collins took over after the 2007 season, the Cardinals have lost five games. After each loss, the Cardinals have responded the next week with a win. Saturday’s game on the road against Tiffin University was no different.
A week after losing to Northern Michigan on a last-second touchdown, the Cardinals traveled to Tiffin to take on the Dragons.
The Cardinals offense came out with its most explosive performance of the season and the defense was dominant in picking up seven sacks to go along with four interceptions in the 40-21 victory.
SVSU never trailed, getting off to a 20-0 lead before Tiffin scored its first touchdown to make it 20-7.
After a first quarter in which neither team was able to score, junior quarterback Charles Dowdell got SVSU rolling when he hit sophomore wide receiver Nick Gallina from 14-yards out to put the Cards’ on the scoreboard six seconds into the second quarter.
Sophomore running back Brandon Hayes gave the Cardinals a 13-0 lead when he scored on a 12-yard run. The touchdown run capped off an eightplay, 86-yard drive that took 4:23. Senior linebacker John Jacobs intercepted a Tiffin pass when the Dragons were deep in Cardinal territory, stalling the Tiffin drive. Sophomore kicker Austin Borchard had his extra point attempt blocked after the touchdown.
Junior running back Xavier Walker got his big day started when he scored on a touchdown run from a yard out that gave the Cardinals a 20-0 lead. The Cardinals offense got the ball back with a short field to work with when junior defensive back Ja’Vae Ingram intercepted a Tiffin pass.
The Dragons attempted to make a comeback, going on to score the next two touchdowns of the game, the first of which they did on the last play of the first half on a two-yard touchdown pass.
Tiffin came out in the second half with momentum on its side after scoring the last second touchdown in the first half. Dowdell threw an interception deep in Cardinal territory giving the Dragons the ball only 13-yards away from the Cardinal endzone.
The Dragons capitalized on the Cardinal turnover, scoring on a seven yard touchdown pass making the score 20-14.
Dowdell was poised to not let the Dragons complete the comeback. On the Cardinals next possession, he drove the Cardinals 80 yards in ten plays, tossing his second touchdown pass of the game to Gallina, making the score 26-20. The Cardinals attempted a two-point conversion although the pass fell incomplete. The drive marked the first time this season the Cardinals have had two scoring drives in one game over 80 yards.
Tiffin would go on to add another touchdown although the Cardinals defense would hold them from there.
Walker added two more rushing touchdowns, giving him three for the day to go along with 101 yards. Gallina made the most of his two receptions; both ended up going for touchdowns.
The Cardinals defense held Tiffin to 57 rushing yards and 269 total yards. SVSU racked up 194 rushing yards and 356 total yards.
With the win, the Cardinals improved their record to 5-2 overall. They return home next week to take on Ashland University with kickoff scheduled for noon.