GLENDORA, Calif. – Azusa Pacific forced six Colorado Mesa turnovers in a 56-35 win over the Mavericks in the regular season finale for both teams at Citrus Stadium in non-conference action.
The Mavericks took the opening kick and drove down to the Cougar 14-yard line before
Eystin Salum coughed it up for the first turnover of the game.
Seven plays and 70 yards later Azusa Pacific scored their first touchdown and would never relinquish the lead. Colorado Mesa would get even on two separate occasions but never held the lead.
Colorado Mesa trailed 35-14 with 24 seconds left in the first half before
Virnel Moon took the ensuing kickoff 89 yards for a touchdown to cut the lead to 35-21 at halftime.
The Mavericks came out of the halftime break and earned a pair of stops on defense to give the offense a chance.
Rope Ruel went into the game as Salum was helped off the field after tweeking his back. Ruel found
Tanner Quick for a 9-yard touchdown on his lone play of the drive. Colorado Mesa trailed 35-28 at the time.
After the next defensive stop,
Peter Anderson hauled in a 44-yard touchdown pass from
Eystin Salum to knot the game at 35-35 with 6:22 to play in the third quarter.
The Cougars would take the lead for good at the 13:45 mark of the fourth quarter as they scored on a 26-yard touchdown pass.
They would score touchdowns two more times in the fourth quarter.
Salum finished the night 9-for-22 for 127 yards and a touchdown but threw five costly interceptions. He was the leading rusher with 67 yards and a score.
David Tann finished with 60 yards on nine carries and a touchdown.
Defensively,
Tom Saager led the way with 13 tackles including two tackles for loss while
Blake Nelson finished with 12 tackles, a blocked kick and a QB hurry.
The 56 points allowed are the most given up by the Mavericks since November 7, 2015 when they lost 51-20 to CSU-Pueblo.
Colorado Mesa will await the word of the NCAA on Sunday (Nov. 11) during the NCAA Tournament Selection Show that will be broadcast on NCAA.com at 3pm (MT).
