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Top-Ranked Linfield Proves Too
Much for Pointers
Box Score
The nation�s top-ranked team proved to be too much
for the UW-Stevens Point football team on Saturday as defending NCAA
Division III champion Linfield handed the Pointers a 45-7 defeat in
McMinnville, Ore.
It marked the first time the Pointers have ever
faced a team ranked No. 1 in the country and it was their second showdown
against a squad in the top four of the poll already this season. UW-Stevens
Point is now 0-2 after losing its opener to fourth-ranked Hardin-Simmons
(Texas) on Sept. 3.
Returning Division III Player
of the Year Brett Elliott had another big game for the Wildcats, throwing
for 365 yards and four touchdowns on 26-for-39 passing.
�Linfield is here to defend their national
championship and today they executed like a champion,� Pointers� coach John
Miech said. �We made a lot of mistakes that I thought were corrected in the
last two weeks. We only have one way to go.�
Both teams had long drives and just one possession
each in the first quarter with UW-Stevens Point being forced to punt and
Linfield getting a 33-yard field goal from Garrett Wales for a 3-0 lead.
Linfield added a one-yard run by Scott Laswell
with 8:13 left in the second quarter for a 10-0 lead that stood until less
than two minutes left in the half. The Pointers had the ball and appeared to
be in good shape heading into halftime before Brandon Olson picked off a
pass and raced 44 yards for a touchdown with 1:36 left in the quarter.
UW-Stevens Point had the ball for 25 seconds on its next series and was
forced to punt. Elliott led the Wildcats 63 yards in the final minute,
converting a pair of back-to-back 20-yard pass plays and finally a six-yard
touchdown to Casey Allen with one second left for a 24-0 halftime lead.
The Pointers earned their only score of the game
when they blocked a punt following Linfield�s first possession of the second
half. Eric Reible scooped up the ball and returned it to the five yard line
where Cody Childs scored from on the Pointers� next play.
Linfield answered back less than two minutes later
with Elliott hitting Josh Vierra for a 13-yard touchdown and a 31-7 lead. A
68-yard pass from Elliott to Brandon Hazenberg with 8:16 left in the third
quarter made it 38-7 and a three-yard scoring pass from Elliott to Allen
with 10:45 left in the fourth quarter finished the scoring.
Linfield outgained the Pointers 532-179 for the
game. Jacob Dickert had three catches for 70 yards to lead UW-Stevens Point.
Quarterback Brett Borchart was the Pointers� leading rusher with six carries
for 27 yards. |
