
SFA Falls To Northern Iowa, 38-24
9/18/2003 12:00:00 AM | Football
Sept. 18, 2003
The SFA Lumberjacks fell to 1-2 on the year with a 38-24 loss to the Panthers of Northern Iowa in the home opener for SFA.
The Lumberjacks fell behind 10-0 early in the first quarter before rallying with 17 unanswered points in the second quarter to take a 17-14 lead in at the half. Cliff Edwards started the scoring for SFA with a 2-yard touchdown run to cut the UNI lead to 10-7 at the 13:49 mark of the second quarter. SFA struck quickly on its next score aas Zeke Dixon hooked up with WR Michael David for a 75-yard scoring strike to give SFA the lead. Ryan Rossner added a career long tying 52-yard field foal with 1:23 in the half to give SFA a 17-10 lead at halftime.
UNI tied the score at the 7:32 mark of the third quarter when Tom Petrie connected with Eddie Galles for a long completion. Galles was tackled at the seven yard line by Brent Hafford and fumbled the ball which was scooped up by Thorn and carried into the end zone for a score.
The Panthers wnet ahead 24-17 with 1:15 to play in the third quarter when Terrance Freeney scored the second of this three rushing touchdowns on the night, this one a 71-yarder to make it 24-17. Freeney finished the night with 249 yards rushing on 33 carries and three touchdowns.
SFA tied the score again on a Michael David 11-yard run on a reverse with the 'Jacks facing a fourth and 1 at the UNI 11-yard line. The Panthers scored twice in the final 3:22 of the game for the winning margin.
The Panthers scored the go ahead touchdown following an interception by LB Casey Tierney at the UNI 35-yard line which was returned to the SFA 44-yard line.
Dixon finished the night completing 20 of 35 passes for 337 yards and one touchdown. Tony Tompkins led all receivers with nine catches for 103 yards. He also added 49 yards rushing on nine attempts.