ELMHURST, Ill. – The Elmhurst University football team hung right with Carthage College for three quarters before succumbing to the Firebirds 34-17 at Langhorst Field.
 
Elmhurst (0-2/0-1 CCIW) trailed by just three points entering the fourth quarter of play before back-to-back touchdown drives from Carthage (1-1/1-0 CCIW) sealed the victory for the Firebirds.  
 
Carthage started the scoring with a 10-yard touchdown pass from Christian Beltran to Twin McGhee late in the first quarter. The snap on the extra point was botched, resulting in Carthage leading 6-0 entering the second quarter.
 
Elmhurst capped an eight-play, 73-yard scoring drive with a 34-yard field goal from Sandro Quintanilla to make the score 6-3 early in the second quarter. Carthage answered back with 10-yards touchdown run from Noel Wright to carry a 13-3 into halftime.
 
After Carthage turned the ball over on downs at their own 40-yard line early in the third quarter, the Bluejays capitalized as Ben Fridrich hauled in an eight-yard touchdown pass to pull Elmhurst to within three points at 13-10. Carthage responded with an 11-play, 65-yard drive capped by a three-yard toss from Bryce Lowe to Eddie Ell to put the Firebirds back up by 10 at 20-10.
 
Elmhurst strung together its best drive of the game, a 10-play, 75-yard march topped by Henkel finding Winston Brown for a 29-yard strike, pulling the Bluejays back to within three points with just 38 seconds left in the third.

Carthage took control in the fourth as Lowe snuck into the end zone from a yard out to put Carthage up 27-17 with 11 minutes remaining. After Elmhurst failed to convert on fourth-and-one from their own 34-yard line, Carthage put the game away as Lowe connected with Ells for a 34-yard strike to make the final score 34-17.
 
Elmhurst totaled 282 yards of offense n the loss, rushing 37 times for 131 yards while passing for 151. Henkel completed 17-of-29 attempts for 151 yards and two touchdowns. Julian Cavallo led the Bluejays on the ground with 16 carries for 73 yards. Fridrich hauled in five passes for 29 yards while Brown caught four passes for 49 yards.
 
Carthage finished with 426 yards, rushing for 164 and passing for 426. Wright led the Firebirds on the ground, carrying 21 times for 138 yards and a score. Lowe came on in relief in the second half and completed 10-of-16 passes for 215 yards and two scores. Ells hauled in four passes for 63 yards and two touchdowns.
 
Bryce Gable led Elmhurst's defense in the loss, totaled 12 tackles, including three tackles for loss and a shared QB sack. Darrion Turner and Tyler Jolly added six stops apiece. Jolly finished with two tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks.
 
Elmhurst will host Washington University in St. Louis next Saturday, September 25. The homecoming weekend contest is scheduled for a 2:00 p.m. kickoff.