CHICAGO – With 28 seconds remaining in regulation, senior quarterback Dominic D'Ambrosio (Oak Forest, Ill./Andrew) found senior wide receiver Marquel Porter (Calumet Park, Ill./DuPage/Richards) in the end zone for a 16-yard touchdown pass to pull Saint Xavier University football (5-3, 1-1 MSFA Midwest) within a point, 28-27, of University of Saint Francis (Ind.), however the two-point conversion attempt by SXU was stopped just before the goal line in a Mid-States Football Association (MSFA) Midwest League contest Saturday afternoon at Bruce R. Deaton Memorial Field in Chicago, Ill. D'Ambrosio finished the day by accounting for four touchdowns, two rushing and two passing. He led the 'Red Cougars' with 56 rushing yards on 14 attempts and threw for 181 yards on 12-for-30 passing with three interceptions. Porter led Saint Xavier with six catches and 97 receiving yards.

• Fifth year senior wide receiver Ronnie Foster (Peoria Heights, Ill./Peoria Heights) caught three passes for 55 yards and a touchdown.
• Sophomore punter Ayden Sheppard (Spring Grove, Ill./Grany Community) averaged 40.3 yards per punt with four landing inside the 20-yard line, and two punts going beyond 50 yards, including a boot of 58 yards in the third quarter. He also converted a fourth-and-long on a rush for 16 yards in the second period.
• Senior linebacker Terry Elias Jr. (Monee, Ill./Crete-Monee) led the SXU defense with nine tackles (six solos), along with four quarterback hurries, 2.5 tackles for loss for eight yards and a sack for four yards.
• Senior linebacker Chris Swayne (LaSalle, Ill./LaSalle-Peru Township) came away with eight tackles (three solos) and a QB hurry.
• Senior linebacker Terry Elias Jr. (Monee, Ill./Crete-Monee) also had eight stops (three solos) with 1.0 tackle for loss for five yards.
• Redshirt sophomore defensive back Cam Manney (Chicago, Ill./Curie) collected seven tackles (one solo), 1.5 tackles for loss for four yards, an interception and a pass breakup.
• Junior defensive back Asael Rubalcava (Evergreen Park, Ill./Evergreen Park) added seven stops (four solos) and a tackle for loss for six yards.
• Sophomore defensive back Zach Norred (Manteno, Ill./St. Rita) was all over the field, finishing with six tackles (four solos), 3.5 tackles for loss for 28 yards, three sacks for 27 yards, a forced fumble and a quarterback hurry.
• An interception by junior defensive back Teddy Garman (Bourbonnais, Ill./Bradley-Bourbonnais) was returned to the one-yard line, and D'Ambrosio scored on a QB sneak on the next play to give Saint Xavier a 7-0 lead at the 9:28 mark of the first quarter.
• Saint Francis tied the game just before the end of the opening frame on a one-yard quarterback sneak with 58 seconds left on the clock.
• D'Ambrosio gave the 'Red Cougars' a 14-7 advantage after a 16-yard rushing touchdown that capped a nine-play, 71-yard drive with 10:19 to play in the second quarter.
• USF tied the game on a one-yard touchdown run with 10:29 remaining in the third period.
• The 'Blue Cougars' took their first lead of the contest early in the fourth quarter on an eight-yard touchdown pass at the 14:26 mark.
• Midway through the fourth quarter, D'Ambrosio connected with Foster for a 23-yard strike to tie the game at 21-21 with 8:41 left in the frame.
• A pass over the middle, followed by a pair of broken tackles allowed Saint Francis to rumble 81 yards for a touchdown on second and 19 to go up 28-21 just after the two-minute warning at 1:47.
• Saint Xavier marched 81 yards on eight plays for the touchdown on its final drive. A penalty on the extra-point attempt moved the ball to the one-and-a-half-yard line, after timeouts from both squads, the conversion attempt by D'Ambrosio was stopped short. The ensuing onside kick was recovered by USF, who kneeled down to end the game.

Saint Xavier (5-3/1-1 MSFA Midwest) travels to Streamwood, Ill. to take on Judson University (Ill.) in a MSFA Midwest League contest on Saturday, November 1. The game is scheduled for a 1:00 pm start.