Box Score

MONMOUTH, Ill. - Ripon turned the ball over seven times in Saturday's 49-21 loss to Monmouth College, including five times on their first six drives. Three of those turnovers resulted in touchdowns, including a pair of interceptions returned for touchdowns. Ripon outgained Monmouth in total offensive yardage, 461-421, but the miscues were just too much to overcome.

Despite their early turnovers, Ripon's offense struck first, as Nathan Kuehl scored on a 33-yard pass from Stephen Covalt midway through the opening quarter. The Fighting Scots (4-5, 4-4 MWC) would take their first of the game in the second quarter when they returned interceptions for touchdowns of 18 and 20 yards, respectively, on back-to-back possessions. Monmouth's next possession was set up by a 57-yard punt return, as the Fighting Scots punched the ball in two plays later on a four-yard run by Trey Yocum. Ripon (6-3, 5-3 MWC) cut the lead to seven with one and a half minutes to play in the half on a 42-yard reception by Eric Langman. Forty seconds later, Monmouth answered back with a 28-yard touchdown run by Tanner Matlick, giving Monmouth a 28-14 halftime lead.

Monmouth added two more touchdowns in the third quarter on Yocum's second touchdown of the game and an eight-yard touchdown pass from Matlick to Brock Thoms. Matlick threw another touchdown in the fourth quarter, as C.J. Shields was on the receiving end for a 13-yard score. Covalt capped the scoring for the Red Hawks with a one-yard plunge, giving him 14 touchdowns on the season, which is tied for sixth in school history for a single season.

Covalt led the Red Hawks with 94 yards rushing and 176 yards on 7-of-17 passing. Langman added 62 yards on just four carries, while Greenwald gained 61 yards on the ground. Defensively, Dylan Mroczenski recorded the Red Hawks' only sack, while Patrick Barany intercepted a pass for the second consecutive game, to go along with a team-high 10 tackles.

Monmouth was led by Yocum's 156 yards on 30 carries, which included his two scores. Matlick added 78 yards on 11 carries and a touchdown, while also completing 11-of-23 passes for 155 yards and two TDs.

The Red Hawks' season will draw to a close next weekend against Lawrence University in what is one of the oldest college football rivalries in the Midwest, celebrating the 120th year since the first meeting. That game will begin at 1 p.m. at Ingalls Field in Ripon and can be seen live on http://client.stretchinternet.com/client/ripon.portal#, as Ripon Head Coach Ron Ernst tries to become just the second coach in Midwest Conference history to reach the 150-win plateau.