BOXSCORE

CHICAGO, Ill. - The Elmhurst College football team lost a September game for the first time under Head Coach Tim Lester, surrendering 17 fourth quarter points to suffer a 33-26 defeat at the University of Chicago to lose for the first time this season.

Chicago used a defensive touchdown and a special teams score to tally the win and up their mark to 2-1, taking advantage of four Elmhurst turnovers. Dee Brizzolara returned a punt 77 yards for the go-ahead score with 1:39 remaining in the contest. The Bluejays drove deep into Chicago territory before Joe Furco was intercepted with :34 to play.

Rodney Payton opened the scoring, finishing a nine-play drive that covered 74-ayrds by hauling in consecutive offerings from Furco including an eight-yard score with 9:33 left in the opening quarter. Furco kept the drive moving with a 27-yard run on a second and 10.

Chicago responded by driving 61 yards on seven plays, tying the score when Brizzolara reeled in a 14-yard pass from quarterback Vincent Cortina with 6:20 left in the first. The Maroons turned a fumble into the lead, with Jeff Sauer converting a 34-yard field goal to make the score 10-7 with 2:47 left in the first.

Trevor Spaulding knotted the game with a 33-yard field goal midway through the second. After leading a drive inside the Chicago redzone, Furco was intercepted by Stephen Murphy, who went the distance, lumbering home for a 93-yard score. The extra point failed and Chicago led 16-10 with 2:31 to play in the half. Spaulding sliced the margin in half with his second field goal of the night, a 27-yarder with :34 left in the half.

Elmhurst drove deep into the Chicago redzone on their first possession of the second half following a three-and-out, but again turned the ball over. The Bluejays failed to convert on a fourth down from near midfield and Chicago marched down the field but missed a field goal. Elmhurst was able to jump in front with 1:51 remaining in the third on a 10-yard run from Scottie Williams but the PAT failed, making the count 19-16.

Sauer finished off a nine-play drive with his second field goal from 22 yards to tie the game with 13:39 left. Following a three-and-out, Brizzolara snared his second score, a 17-yarder from Cortina with 8:40 to put Chicago up 26-19.

Furco tied the game with 4:12 to play, hitting Corey Thonn on a 25-yard score, and each team failed to record a first down before the Brizzolara run back, his third score of the contest.

The Bluejays piled up almost 200 more yards than Chicago in the defeat (484-285). Williams ran for 121 yards on 23 carries with a long of 15. Furco threw for 319 yards, completing 24-of-41 attempts with two TDs and two picks. Payton caught seven passes for 95 yards while Thonn and Williams hauled in five each and Vince Gabrys four. Justin Phipps paced the defense with seven tackles while Jon Janus posted two sacks. 

The Bluejays (2-1) are off next week before opening CCIW play on October 1 against North Park at Langhorst Field in a 1:00 p.m. contest.