Second Half Rally Pushes No. 24 Saint Francis Past Siena Heights
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Siena Heights (0-1) | 20 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 20 |
|
#24 Saint Francis (Ind.) (1-1) | 0 | 7 | 0 | 14 | 21 |
The Cougars responded in the second quarter when Joshua Kulka connected with Crosley MacEachen on a three-yard touchdown pass, cutting the deficit to 20-7 by halftime.
After a scoreless third quarter, Saint Francis began their comeback in the fourth.
After a scoreless third quarter, Saint Francis mounted the comeback in the fourth. Kulka scored on a three-yard run early in the quarter, narrowing the gap to 20-14. He then capped off a six-play, 78-yard drive with a five-yard rushing touchdown with 6:27 left, giving Saint Francis their first lead of the afternoon. Austin Deleon successfully converted all three extra point attempts, including the decisive kick that secured the 21-20 victory for Saint Francis.
The Cougars ended the game with 297 total yards of offense. Kulka finished with 211 passing yards and three touchdowns. Drew Wheat led the Saint Francis on the ground with 108 rushing yards while also contributing 54 receiving yards. Adjaye Dandridge topped the receiving charts with 56 yards on four catches.
The Saint Francis defense tightened after the opening quarter, forcing three turnovers and registering six sacks. Jaydin Evans led with 10 total tackles, while Nate Johnson recorded nine tackles, including 3.5 for a total loss of 18 yards, along with 1.5 sacks and a fumble recovery. Wyatt Penney added seven tackles, with 1.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, a pass breakup, and a quarterback hurry.
Up next, Saint Francis football (1-1, 0-0 MSFA) will travel to Lawrence Tech University on Saturday, September 13, for a 1:00 p.m. kickoff.
Founded in 1890 in the Catholic Franciscan tradition, the University of Saint Francis offers more than 60 undergraduate, graduate and doctoral programs through the College of Health Sciences and the College of Arts, Sciences, and Business. In addition to its traditional programs, Saint Francis designs focused curricula for working adults in Fort Wayne, Crown Point, Lafayette and online. Saint Francis Downtown houses the music technology program while offering enhanced internship and networking opportunities for students. The University of Saint Francis, recognized as an NAIA Five-Star Champion of Character institution, has 21 athletic programs boasting two individual and four team NAIA national championships. Approximately 1,800 students from a broad geographic region attend Saint Francis.
