MSJ ends Jacket Football four-game winning streak
Nick Williams, Assistant SID

--CINCINNATI, Ohio—Not even the momentum of a four-game winning streak could bring a victory into the hands of the Defiance College Football team on Saturday afternoon in Cincinnati, as the Yellow Jackets lose to conference rival Mount St. Joseph by the score 40-19.

Mount St. Joseph jumped out to an early 7-0 lead when Mike Lovell rushed in for a 12-yard score three minutes into the first quarter. However, Defiance quickly answered when Hans Vetter connected with Luke Dillion on a 79-yard bomb on the third Yellow Jacket play from scrimmage. After a three-and-out by the Lions, the Yellow Jackets scored on their first play of the drive when Scooter Curtis blasted through the Lion defense for a 76-yard touchdown run. that put DC up 12-7 after a failed two-point conversion.

That's when Mount St. Joseph stepped up its offensive presence and scored 33 unanswered points with 10 more in the first quarter, 16 in the second quarter, and seven in the third. Andy Wellendorf had two touchdown receptions from Rashon Lewis during that scoring outburst. Gary Allen later threw a touchdown pass, again to Dillon, on the first play of the fourth quarter to make the game 40-19, but Defiance could not come any closer as the Lion defense stopped the next two Yellow Jacket drives.

Vetter passed for 93 yards on 6-for-19 passing with the touchdown to Dillon and three interceptions. Dillion led the Jackets in receiving with 100 yards on two touchdown catches. Curtis rushed for 69 yards in four attempts with a touchdown run. Allen also added a touchdown pass in the loss.

Kris Zajac led the DC defense with nine tackles, including 1.5 for-loss. Chris Tietje had eight stops, three of them for-loss including two sacks. Jason Bushon added four tackles and two passes defended.

DC punter Blake Stambaugh averaged 38.6 yards on his five punts and put one boot inside the 20-yard line.

DC falls to 4-3 overall and 2-1 in the HCAC while falling. The Mount overtakes DC in the HCAC and now moves into first place with a record of 6-1 overall and 3-1 in the HCAC.