ADRIAN, Mich. – The Siena Heights football team surrendered a 16-point lead as Concordia (Mich.) forced overtime and defeated the Saints 23-16.
Siena Heights settled for a 3-0 lead after moving the ball to the Cardinal's 2-yard line, but a penalty pushed the ball backward and stalled the drive.
The Saints' offense sputtered at the opponent 16 again in the second and had to make a second field goal to hold a 6-0 lead as the teams entered the half.
Siena Heights capped a nine-play drive off with a third field goal to build a two-score lead with 10:42 left in the third quarter. A fumble on an Andrew Bookman punt gave the Saints the ball at the Concordia (Mich.) 31. Jamon Benson II sprinted into the endzone for the game's first touchdown, and SHU led 16-0 close to the midway mark of the third quarter.
Busted coverage on the ensuing drive gave CUAA a 48-yard touchdown pass, and the Cardinals completed the two-point try to cut the SHU advantage in half with south of seven minutes left in the third stanza.
The score remained 16-8 until late in the fourth quarter when an interception gave the Cardinals the ball in Siena Heights' territory. A 21-yard touchdown pass followed by a second two-point conversation tied things up with just over six minutes remaining in regulation.
Neither team could break the deadlock before the end of regulation as the game moved into overtime.
The Saints won the toss and elected to be on defense first in the extra football.
Concordia (Mich.) completed a third touchdown pass, and the extra point put the Cardinals ahead for the first time in the afternoon. The Saints moved the ball to the CUAA eight, but three incomplete passes ended the game.
Benson II registered the first 100-yard rushing game of his career as he led SHU with 106 on 16 carries for an average of 6.6 yards per carry. Kaleb Jefferson led in the passing game with 61 yards on two catches. Anthony Secchi was 3-for-3 in field goals with a long of 46. Kole Murlin had an incredible day with 14 tackles, 1.5 sacks, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery. Cosey Goff broke up three passes.
UP NEXT
The Saints will hit the road next week with a road game versus Madonna at Churchill High School in Livonia, Michigan. The game is set to begin at 1:00 PM.
