 | 14 |
 | 17 |
Dordt (1-5, 1-5 GPAC) moved the ball on their first possession but came away empty after a fumble at the Concordia 27. It was the only turnover the Defenders would commit on the rainy day. Concordia (1-5, 1-5 GPAC) eventually got on the scoreboard when TJ Shirey found Wade Houchin for 19 yards and a touchdown to cap an eight-play, 73-yard drive. The point after failed, and the Bulldogs were up 6-0 with 1:14 left in the first quarter.
Dordt scored their first touchdown of conference play at the 3:59 mark when they capitalized on a fumble that gave the Defenders a short field to work with. Three plays later Joey Vander Schaaf took a pitch and went in from 19 yards out. The extra point was good and the Defenders led 7-6.
The Bulldogs wasted no time in responding when Houchin took a short pass 62 yards to pay dirt with 2:44 left in the half. The play was the second of the possession. Dordt threatened towards the end of the half but turned the ball over on downs after waiting out a 40-minute lightning delay with :44 left in the half.
After a Defender interception, Scotty Walden found Grant Mowery over the middle for a touchdown with 6:08 left in the third quarter. The drive took 5:33 off the clock. Nick Sohre's kick was good to tie it at 14.
The Bulldogs turned the ball over on downs on their next possession, giving the Defenders the ball 68 yards from the end zone with 3:29 left in the quarter. Dordt's drive looked dead when they ran a double reverse option pass on the first play of the fourth quarter with Vander Schaaf getting the second hand off from Ryan Campbell and completing a pass to Scotty Walden who started the play at quarterback. Walden raced to the Concordia 24 before being tackled. The Defenders eventually kicked a field goal from 21 yards for a 17-14 lead with 10:42 remaining in the game.
The Defenders forced a fumble on Concordia's second play from scrimmage on the ensuing drive, forced Concordia to punt on their second possession after the field goal and picked off a Shirey pass at the Dordt 12 with :27 left to seal the win.
Dordt outgained Concordia 367-284 and allowed the Bulldogs just a little over six minutes of possession time in the second half.
Shirey had 68 yards of rushing on 10 carries and completed 9-of-17 passes for 134 yards and two touchdowns and two pass interceptions.
The Bulldogs will welcome the Morningside College Mustangs to Bulldog Stadium for a 1 p.m. kick off on Saturday, Oct. 18.