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Saint Xavier University

Official Athletics Website of the Saint Xavier University Cougars

Football
36
Winner St. Francis (IL) USF 5-1 , 1-0
29
Saint Xavier (IL) SXU 4-3 , 0-1
Winner
St. Francis (IL) USF
5-1 , 1-0
36
Final
29
Saint Xavier (IL) SXU
4-3 , 0-1
Score By Quarters
Team 1st 2nd 3rd 4th OT F
USF St. Francis (IL) 0 14 7 8 7 36
SXU Saint Xavier (IL) 9 20 0 0 0 29

Game Recap: Football |

No. 18 Saint Xavier Falls to St. Francis, 36-29, in Overtime

CHICAGO – Despite a career-high 145 receiving yards and two touchdowns from junior wide receiver Ronnie Foster (Peoria Heights, Ill./Peoria Heights) and a career-best 365 passing yards from fifth-year senior quarterback Stuart Ross (Springfield, Ill./Springfield Southeast) on Homecoming, the No. 18 ranked Saint Xavier University football team (4-3, 0-1 MSFA Midwest) lost in overtime, 36-29, to University of St. Francis (Ill.) in the Mid-States Football Association (MSFA) Midwest League opener for both teams Saturday afternoon at Bruce R. Deaton Memorial Field in Chicago, Ill. The Fighting Saints scored on a three-run rushing touchdown in the extra period. On the ensuing possession, SXU could not convert on a 4th and long after Ross' pass was intercepted to end the game. Foster finished with nine receptions with a long of 32, while Ross completed 75.9 percent (22-for-29) of his passes with two touchdown passes.
  • Fifth-year senior wide receiver Kyle Quinn (Tinley Park, Ill./Lincoln-Way East) caught four passes for 68 yards and a touchdown.
  • Graduate student wide receiver Julian Smith (Glenwood, Ill./Jackson State/Calumet New Tech) hauled in two passes for 77 yards. He also returned three kickoffs for 77 yards as well.
  • Graduate student linebacker Ryan Fitzgerald (Tinley Park, Ill./Andrew) tied his career-high with 14 tackles (four solos) and 0.5 tackles for loss.
  • Senior defensive back Nick Shultz (Shorewood, Ill./Minooka Community) established a new career-best with 12 tackles (eight solos) while adding an interception return for 27 yards and 1.0 tackle for loss.
  • Fifth-year senior defensive back Kevin Countryman (Morris, Ill./Providence Catholic) posted a season-high eight tackles (six solos) and a blocked kick.
  • Graduate student defensive lineman Dalen Brown (Richton Park, Ill./Indianapolis/Crete-Monee) also had a season-high in tackles with seven (two solos) and 1.0 tackle for loss.
  • Saint Xavier needed only two plays on its opening drive as Ross connected with Smith for a 58-yard reception, followed by an 11-yard touchdown run by senior running back Jessi Plunkett (Evergreen Park, Ill./College of DuPage/Brother Rice) for a quick 7-0 lead just 49 seconds into the contest.
  • An intentional grounding penalty in the endzone by USF resulted in a safety to make it 9-0 with 3:28 left in the first quarter.
  • Foster caught a one-yard touchdown pass in the corner of the endzone from junior quarterback Dominic D'Ambrosio (Oak Forest, Ill./Andrew) on his lone pass attempt of the game to start the second period. The two-point conversion attempt failed, making it 15-0.
  • Schultz came away with his first interception of the year on the next drive. Two plays later Ross hit Quinn for a 24-yard touchdown pass to push the advantage to 22-0 with 13:37 remaining in the half.
  • St. Francis responded with a 59-yard catch and run for a score to cap a five-play, 65-yard drive at the 10:35 mark.
  • On a fourth-and-one play, Ross floated a pass to Foster that resulted in a 26-yard touchdown to go up 29-7 with 1:53 on the clock.
  • The Fighting Saints scored just before the end of the half on a seven-yard touchdown pass with 13 seconds left to make it 29-14 heading into half time.
  • A two-yard rushing touchdown by USF cut the deficit to 29-21 midway through the third frame with 9:20 to go.
  • St. Francis tied the game early in the fourth quarter after another two-yard touchdown run at the 13:20 mark.
  • After a turnover on downs, the Fighting Saints used up 8:13 on the game clock on 14 plays, setting up a 23-yard field-goal attempt with 2:08 left in regulation. Countryman raced of the edge from the right side a blocked the potential go-ahead kick that the Cougars recovered in the endzone for a touchback.
  • SXU marched down the field in the closing minutes, going 69 yards on 11 plays before reaching the USF nine-yard line. A kneel down and a time out by Saint Xavier with two seconds left gave graduate student Peyton Benes (Tinley Park, Ill./Andrew) the chance to win the game. His attempt from 28-yards out went wide left as the clock expired.
No. 18 Saint Xavier (4-3, 0-1 MSFA Midwest) is on the road to play Olivet Nazarene University (Ill.) in MSFA Midwest League action on Saturday, October 26. The game is set for a 1:00 pm start in Bourbonnais, Ill.
 
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