Cards outscore Wildcats in U.P.

September 24, 2007 —

Chris Dougherty was outplayed for the first time this season, but lucky for him, Brandon Emeott was running on turf again.

The junior running back rushed 18 times for 111 yards and three touchdowns, leading SVSU to a 42-37 shootout win in Marquette.

It was the second time in three games that the Cards played on artificial turf and not coincidentally the second time in the same span that Emeott had gone over the century mark.

Emeott's efforts aided Dougherty in his battle against the Wildcats' Buddy Rivera. The two senior quarterbacks both had productive games, but Dougherty threw his first two interceptions of the season.

The interceptions almost cost the Cards the game, too.

After going down 28-14 early in the second quarter, SVSU made its comeback, scoring on an Emeott touchdown with 6:49 left in the half. On their next possession, the Cards drove to the Wildcats 10, but Travis Holmes intercepted Dougherty at the goal line as he tried to tie the game.

With just 37 seconds left in the half, though, the Wildcats were content with their seven-point lead and sat on the ball.

The shootout continued in the third, as Dougherty found fellow senior Steve Brander in the end zone for a six-yard score just 3:38 in.

The Cards came up with a goal line stand on the Wildcats' next drive, allowing a field goal that put them back down, 31-28.

Junior Matt Black took the ensuing kickoff 45 yards to the Northern 46, and four plays later, Emeott scored from 26 yards out, putting the Cards ahead for good.

After the Cards defense came up big again and forced a punt, Dougherty found freshman Mike Meade for a 13-yard touchdown to put SVSU up 11 with nearly 12 minutes left in the game.

Rivera made the finish interesting, showing he was not going to let his team drop to 0-3 easily. He was able to lead the Wildcats to a touchdown, but it didn't come easy.

The Cards' defense stiffened enough to force Rivera into a 15-play, 60-yard drive that took almost six minutes off the clock. Down five at 42-37, the Wildcats went for two to bring the score within a field goal, but failed on the conversion.

Dougherty and the Cards looked to run out the clock from there, but when junior Jason Kelly recovered a Wildcats fumble at the NMU 45, SVSU went for the kill. Faced with a third-and-18 from their own 47, Dougherty was intercepted at the Northern five-yard line.

Northern's Jon Hoggard returned the ball to the Northern 25, making the third-down call almost as good as a punt.

Given one last chance with 2:08 left, Rivera led his team down to the SVSU 36 before failing to connect four straight times with his receivers.

Northern was able to stop the clock only once from there, allowing Dougherty to take a knee and solidify the victory.

Rivera finished 21-of-37 for 271 yards and two scores, while Dougherty broke the school record for attempts as he went 25-of-37 for 248 yards and two scores to go with the two interceptions. He stands just 16 completions shy of the school record.

The win put the Cards at 3-1 and in a four-way tie for second place with Mercyhurst, Hillsdale, and Michigan Tech in a stronger-than-usual GLIAC.

They travel to play cross-town rival Northwood on Saturday for the 34th annual Axe Bowl.

The Timberwolves will be looking to salvage their season after dropping a second consecutive game Saturday, a 54-24 thumping at Ashland.

Kickoff for the Axe Bowl is at noon.