Box Score JOLIET, Ill. – A bevy of missed chances in the first quarter cost Roosevelt on the road Saturday as the 16th-ranked Lakers fell 19-3 to No. 25 St. Francis (Ill.) in Joliet. The loss dropped the Lakers to 7-2 overall on the season and 4-2 in the MSFA Midwest League.
Roosevelt had a chance to punish St. Francis right off the bat after a poor punt set up the Lakers deep in Fighting Saints' territory. However, the Lakers couldn't pick up a first down and Tyler Tenner was stopped short on fourth down for a turnover on downs. The Lakers picked up a fourth-down stop of its own on St. Francis' next drive, but the subsequent drive stalled out at the Fighting Saints' 5-yard line leading to Andrew Bucaro 22-yard field goal.
The Lakers found more special teams success on fourth down on St. Francis' third drive with Thomas Shorack firing through the gap to block the punt. Yet Bucaro missed a 28-yard field after Roosevelt was unable to move the ball after starting at the Fighting Saints' 12-yard line.
It was again self-inflicted miscues that hurt the Lakers in the second and third quarter after strong starts from the defense. Bucaro had a punt blocked in the second quarter to set up the Fighting Saints deep in Lakers' territory, but Roosevelt held St. Francis to just a game-tying field goal. On the first drive of the third quarter, a bad snap forced Bucaro to fall on a fumble at the 9-yard line, yet the Lakers stood tall and limited St. Francis to a field goal.
On the next Lakers drive, Tenner fumbled near midfield and the Fighting Saints marched down to score the first touchdown of the game for either team. St. Francis tacked on another touchdown late in the fourth quarter after a strip-sack of Luke Wilson deep in Roosevelt territory.
Roosevelt converted just once on seven fourth-down attempts, a slightly better percentage than its 2 of 15 success rate on third downs. The Lakers also failed to protect the ball well, losing three of the five fumbles they put on the ground, including a pair of fumbles from Wilson on sacks. The Lakers did outgain St. Francis 162-125 in the game, but the teams combined for just 18 first downs in a game filled with plenty of defense.
The Lakers will finish out the regular season next Saturday at the comforts of Morris Field at 2 p.m. when they face Olivet Nazarene.
