Box Score

GREENVILLE, Ill. – The curse for the University of Northwestern continues as Greenville College manufactured a second-half comeback against the Eagles for the fourth time in three years on Saturday to win 37-23. UNW led 20-0 midway through the second quarter, but three Jacob Stull touchdown runs in the final 28 minutes allowed the Panthers to maintain their undefeated season while the Eagles slipped to 3-4 overall.

Much like Northwestern's Week 6 game against St. Scholastica, the Eagles' couldn't have been much happier with how the ball was rolling in the bulk of the first and second quarters. UNW's Luke Couwenhoven (Blaine, Minn./Blaine) scored the game's first points as his eight-yard touchdown grab from Jacob Fletcher (Moorhead, Minn./Park Christian) and a Kevin Langmade (Prescott, Wis./Prescott) point-after kick gave Northwestern a 7-0 lead midway through the first period. Joe Sutton (Minneapolis, Minn./Benilde St. Margaret's) added a pair of scoring catches of his own in the second quarter as Northwestern was producing long, sustained drives of 69 and 74 yards that took time off the clock and put points on the board. Langmade's third PAT try of the game was blocked, but other than that, it was all good as Northwestern led by 20 with 5:29 to go before halftime.

Greenville answered for the first time after the second Fletcher-Sutton scoring connection as Panthers quarterback Brendan Chambers drove his team downfield in a lengthy 14-play, 85-yard drive of its own, capped by a touchdown pass from Chambers to Michael Green to cut Northwestern's lead to 13.

The Eagles would have been pleased with that margin at halftime, but a quick Panthers strike after UNW went three-and-out made that buffer a little less comfortable. Greenville got the ball back on its own 47-yard line, and Chambers hooked up with Nicholas Newton for a 44-yard completion on third down to put the Panthers on the one-yard line with precious seconds remaining in the half. Fortunately for the Eagles, an unsportsmanlike penalty called against Newton pushed the spot of the ball back to the Northwestern 15-yard line, but Chambers then found Nathan Butler in the end zone on Greenville's final play of the half. Josh Frewin's kick attempt was good, and the scoreboard read 20-14 at the break.

Things got worse for Northwestern before they would get better as an offensive fumble on the Eagles' second play of the second half fell into the Panthers' hands, and Greenville made good on the turnover in UNW territory. Stull earned his first touchdown of the day just four plays later and another successful Frewin point-after meant a Panthers lead at 21-20.

Northwestern answered with another positive sustained drive, needing to convert one third down amidst a 14-play, 59-yard journey that ended with Langmade kicking a 32-yard field goal through the uprights to give the Eagles back their lead.

Stull was hardly finished for Greenville as the sophomore found the end zone again just as the page turned to the fourth quarter. Stull added his third score of the day on a 17-yard scamper midway through the same period to put the Panthers up by 14 after Greenville had blocked a Langmade punt and turned it into a safety between the two touchdown runs.

UNW got two more chances on offense, but Fletcher was intercepted on a fourth down attempt deep in Panthers territory in the first opportunity prior to the game ending with Northwestern knocking on the door at the Greenville two-yard line as time expired.

Northwestern finished with 361 yards of offense, 66 behind Greenville's total of 427 which was accounted for in net rushing. Josh Sinnen (Waconia, Minn./Waconia) turned in his fourth 100-yard game of the year with a 107 yards on Saturday, but the Panthers' option scheme produced 254 yards on the ground, with Stull picking up 105 on 22 carries. Fletcher threw 45 times throughout the game, completing 21 of those passes for 226 yards and the three first half scores. Chambers was 18 of 31 for 173 yards and two TDs with ach quarterback throwing an interception.

Luke Sommerlot (Pocahontas, Iowa/Pocahontas Area ) led Northwestern on defense with nine tackles. Grant Stroud (Moorhead, Minn./Hillcrest Academy) had seven solo tackles to finish the day with eight overall.

At 3-3 in Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) play, Northwestern has three games remaining on its 2013 schedule, two of which will be played at Reynolds Field. Westminster College gets its chance for a lengthy road trip next Saturday as the Blue Jays will drive to St. Paul from Fulton, Mo. for a 1 p.m. kickoff on Oct. 26.