WHEELING, W.Va. (Sept. 19) – The Cardinals battled, but were dealt a 41-26 loss by Urbana Thursday night in a Mountain East Conference (MEC) contest at Bishop Schmitt Field.
 
The loss sends Wheeling University to 0-3 overall, 0-3 in the MEC. Meanwhile, the Blue Knights improve to 3-0 for the first time in program-history.
 
Sophomore quarterback Tucker Strachan (Kensington, Md./Bullis) finished the evening 25-of-39 for 243 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions. 
 
Redshirt-junior wide receiver Jaquaun Davidson (Duquesne, Pa./Elizabeth Forward) posted seven catches for 81 yards and two touchdowns. Sophomore wide out Ryan LaFollette (Woodsfield, Ohio/Monroe Central) added six catches for 42 yards, while classmate Jake Keenan (Toronto, Ohio/Toronto) ended the evening with four receptions for 82 yards and a touchdown.
 
Wheeling took the opening kick and went three-and-out. Urbana marched down the field with nine-straight rushing plays, before punching the ball in from one yard out to take a 7-0 lead with less than six minutes into the game.
 
After a second three-and-out for the Cardinals, Urbana got the ball back and stalled out near midfield. Wheeling freshman Jarin Curtis (Massillon, Ohio/Perry) broke through and blocked the Blue Knights punt attempt. Freshman Eli Young (Worthington, Ohio/Kilbourne) scooped the blocked punt up and took the ball 25 yards to the end zone to tie the game at 7-7 with 4:10 to play in the first quarter.
 
Urbana looked poised to answer back when it drove the ball into Wheeling territory, but a deflected ball fell into the hands of sophomore Aaron Finch (Atlanta, Ga./Langston Hughes) to end the threat and give the ball back to the Cardinals.
 
Urbana found pay dirt on its next drive when Blue Knight quarterback Eddie Stockett found six-foot, seven-inch wide receiver Martell Varner on a 10-yard fade route to make the score 14-7 with 6:51 to play in the second quarter. The Blue Knights went on to add another touchdown on their next possession to push their lead to 21-7 with just over three minutes until halftime.
 
The Cardinals got one first down on their next drive, but were forced to punt. Urbana looked poised to add to its lead heading into halftime when they took over near the 50-yard line. Sophomore cornerback Rich White III (Cleveland, Ohio/Lakewood St. Edwards) flipped the field when he stepped in front of a Stockett pass and intercepted it near midfield.
 
Strachan and Wheeling took advantage of the field position and drove into the red zone in the closing seconds of the half. Strachan found Davidson in the back of the end zone from 11 yards out to cut the lead down to 21-13 (PAT blocked) heading into halftime.
 
The two teams traded possessions to open the second half. Urbana eventually converted a 40-yard field goal to take a 24-13 lead with 8:49 left in the third quarter.
 
Wheeling took over and converted a third down and a fourth down and eight to drive into the red zone. On third and goal from the seven-yard line, Strachan found Davidson for the second time on the night to make the score 24-20 with 3:42 to play in the third quarter.
 
Urbana rebuilt its lead to 34-20 with a touchdown and a field goal on its next two possessions. The Cardinals faced fourth down and six from midfield, when Strachan found Keenan over the middle of the field. Keenan hauled in the pass and broke loose for 47 yards and a touchdown to draw Wheeling back within one score at 34-26 (PAT failed) with just over three minutes left in the game.
 
The Blue Knights got the ball back and put the game away with a quartet of first downs, before Maurice Warren scored from five yards out to make the score 41-26 with 1:56 to play in the contest.
 
White led the defense with 12 tackles (eight solo) with the interception. Both redshirt-sophomore Jermichael Isom (Gadsden, Ala./Gadsden City) and sophomore Cody Anderson (Severn, Md./Archbishop Spalding) finished with nine tackles.
 
Urbana had a trio of running backs rush for over 100 yards in the game, led by W.R. Sanders, Jr., who finished with 207 yards on 18 carries and two touchdowns.
 
The Cardinals will have a few extra days to prepare for their next game on Saturday, September 28 when they travel to Buckhannon, West Virginia to take on West Virginia Wesleyan in a MEC contest at 1 p.m. 
 
NOTES: Urbana finished with 441 yards rushing as a team …  Wheeling was 2-for-3 on fourth downs on the night … Urbana finished with four sacks. Wheeling entered in the night allowing just one through two games … Urbana was flagged 11 times for 118 yards, compared to the Cardinals who were cited even times for 61 yards … Urbana held nearly a 13-minute advantage in time of possession … Wheeling was held without a first down until the six-minute mark of the second quarter