Skip To Main Content

Saint Xavier University

Official Athletics Website of the Saint Xavier University Cougars

FB_action_DC_10_4_25
42
Winner Saint Xavier (IL) SXU 3-2
17
Defiance College (OH DEFIANCE 2-3
Winner
Saint Xavier (IL) SXU
3-2
42
Final
17
Defiance College (OH DEFIANCE
2-3
Score By Quarters
Team 1st 2nd 3rd 4th F
SXU Saint Xavier (IL) 7 7 14 14 42
DEFIANCE Defiance College (OH 3 7 7 0 17

Game Recap: Football |

Team Effort Fuels Saint Xavier Football Past Defiance, 42-17

Defiance, Ohio – Senior quarterback Dominic D'Ambrosio (Oak Forest, Ill./Andrew) threw for a career-high 334 yards, completing 19 of his 31 pass attempts, along with three passing touchdowns and a rushing touchdown. On the defensive side of the ball, senior linebacker Chris Swayne (LaSalle, Ill./LaSalle-Peru Township) was credited with 20 tackles (10 solos), just the fourth player in program history to achieve that milestone, while adding an interception, a sack for seven yards, a pass breakup and a forced fumble as the Saint Xavier University football team (3-2, 0-0 MSFA Midwest) came away with a 42-17 triumph over Defiance College (Ohio) in a Mid-States Football Association (MSFA) crossover contest Saturday afternoon at Coreseel Stadium in Defiance, Ohio. The Cougars were outgained 445-431, however the Yellowjackets ran 87 plays to just 56 by SXU.

D'Ambrosio produced the first 300-yard passing game for Saint Xavier since last year on October 19 when former standout Stuart Ross (2020-24) threw for 365 yards vs. University of St. Francis (Ill.). Swayne tied Sean Kenney (2004-07) and Joe Miller (2005-08) who each had 20 stops at University of Saint Francis (Ind.) on November 10, 2007. Former NAIA All-American Zach Dolph (2010-13) set the school record with 23 tackles vs. William Penn University on October 26, 2013.
  • Senior running back Tyreese Lee (Chicago, Ill./Moraine Valley/Eisenhower) had 13 carries for 80 yards and a touchdown. He also caught four passes for 41 yards.
  • Senior wide receiver Marquel Porter (Calumet Park, Ill./DuPage/Richards) hauled in two receptions for 29 yards, and he added a 14-yard rushing touchdown.
  • Sophomore wide receiver Stephon Gist Jr. (Dolton, Ill./Quincy/Lincoln-Way East) recorded a season-high seven receptions for 94 yards and a touchdown. He also returned four kickoffs for 70 yards.
  • Senior wide receiver Adam Alcantar (Chicago, Ill./Oak Lawn Community) finished with two catches for 80 yards and a touchdown.
  • Senior wide receiver Cameron Hatcher (Morris, Ill./Morris Community) registered a 22-yard touchdown reception.
  • Freshman kicker Christian Casillas (Alsip, Ill./Eisenhower) finished 6-for-6 on extra-point attempts, along with seven kickoffs for an average of 59.4 yards and a touchback.
  • Senior linebacker Terry Elias Jr. (Monee, Ill./Crete-Monee) posted double-digit tackles as well with 14 (six solos). He added a tackle for loss (TFL) for three yards, a fumble recovery, a pass breakup and a quarterback hurry.
  • Junior defensive back Taj McClellan (Joliet, Ill./Joliet Catholic Academy) tallied eight tackles (five solos) with a forced fumble.
  • Senior defensive lineman Justin Yeazell (Plainfield, Ill./Plainfield North) collected six tackles (one solo), a fumble recovery and a quarterback hurry.
  • Redshirt sophomore defensive back Cam Manney (Chicago, Ill./Curie) chipped in six stops (three solos).
  • DC scored on their opening drive after they went 60 yards on 16 plays, using 5:39 off the game clock to go up 3-0 on a 21-yard field goal at the 7:21 mark.
  • The Cougars took the lead, 7-3, on Lee's six-yard touchdown run at the end of the first quarter with 51 seconds remaining. The went 92 yards on just five plays for the score.
  • Defiance went back up 10-7 on its next possession on a 24-yard touchdown pass to cap an eight play, 87-yard drive early in the second period at 13:02.
  • Porter took a handoff from D'Amrosio and rushed into the endzone from 14 yards out to put SXU ahead 14-10 after a six play, 63-yard drive with 5:30 to go until the half.
  • A strip sack forced a fumble that Elias Jr. pounced on forcing a turnover on the Yellowjackets first drive out of the break. Saint Xavier went 49 yards on five plays with D'Ambrosio rushing in for a touchdown from nine yards out to extend its advantage to 21-10 at the 10:17 mark of the third quarter.
  • With 4:36 remaining in the frame, DC marched 75 yards on 10 plays and scored a touchdown on a nine-yard pass to cut the deficit to 21-17.
  • On their next possession, Defiance was intercepted by Swayne setting up a four play, 71-yard drive that resulted in a 43-yard touchdown pass from D'Ambrosio to Alcantar with 13 seconds left in the quarter for a 28-17 lead.
  • A 20-yard touchdown pass from D'Amrosio to Gist Jr. on their next drive, an eight play, 66-yard possession, made the score 35-17 with 12:33 left in the final period.
  • The Yellowjackets made their way to the SXU 35-yard line, however Swayne for a fumble that was recovered by senior linebacker Carter Wynn (Greenfield, Wis./Whitnall). Saint Xavier pulled away with a nine play, 81-yard scoring drive that was completed when D'Ambrosio found Hatcher for a 22-yard touchdown pass with 1:56 remaining in regulation.
Saint Xavier (3-2/0-0 MSFA Midwest) returns to Bruce R. Deaton Memorial Field to host Siena Heights University (Mich.) on Homecoming on Saturday, October 11. The game is scheduled for a 12:00 kickoff in Chicago, Ill.
 
Print Friendly Version