BETHANY, Okla. — Southern Nazarene played its closest game at home all year, but it couldn't chase down Southern Arkansas late in a 27-15 loss Saturday.
The Crimson Storm (3-3, 3-3 GAC) got a career-high three field goals from
Carlos Anguiano who also hit a season-long from 36 yards out. It was the first time since 2010 that SNU got three field goals from one player.
Jacob Spady had a career-high 138 yards rushing on 21 carries. He also had the only touchdown of the day for SNU and threw for 87 yards as he was 8-for-15.
Nate Walker had half of Spady's completions with four catches for 57 yards.
Josh Jordan had a team-high 13 tackles while Anthony Stephens had 12.
Jakel Davis also had an interception.
Southern Arkansas struck first on its second drive of the game to take a 7-0 lead with 6:45 left in the first quarter. On their next possession, the Muleriders marched down to the SNU 12-yard line, but the Crimson Storm defense held and forced a field goal as SAU took a 10-0 lead to end the first.
The Crimson Storm got on the board with 12:09 left in the half when
Carlos Anguiano drilled a 30-yard field goal to cut it to 10-3. Southern Arkansas pushed it to 17-3 with 2:17 left in the half on a 60-yard drive and took that lead to the half.
Anguiano hit his second field goal of the day with 10:28 left in the third, on the Storm's first drive of the second half to make it 17-6. The Muleriders tacked on another field goal with 3:53 left in the third to lead 20-6. On the ensuing drive though, SNU capped a 34-yard drive when Anguiano laced his third straight field goal attempt to put the Storm within 11 at 20-9 just seconds into the fourth quarter.
After the Storm forced a 3-and-out on SAU's next drive, SNU got a huge 74-yard punt return by
Doryan Harris to start the Storm's drive at the SAU 16-yard line. It took just two plays, both rushes by
Jacob Spady, to get the first touchdown of the day as SNU cut it to 20-15 with 11:44 to play.
Southern Arkansas though answered four minutes later, when it capitalized on a Storm fumble, and went 18 yards on three plays to lead 27-15 and hung on from there.
