HillsdaleChargers.com: Big plays in 3rd quarter sink Chargers

Official Release from Hillsdale College


A wild third-quarter sequence doomed the Hillsdale College football team in its GLIAC opener Saturday afternoon.

Ohio Dominican University scored a safety, then followed that up with a 39-yard touchdown run three plays later to provide the decisive sequence in a 37-20 win over the Chargers at Panther Field in Columbus, Ohio. The Chargers fall to 0-2 overall and 0-1 in the GLIAC with the loss. Hillsdale returns to Ohio next weekend, taking on Malone University at 2 p.m. Saturday in Canton.

The back-to-back scores by Ohio Dominican was just part of a 29-point third quarter that turned what started out as a defensive struggle into a wild shootout. ODU broke open a 14-14 game with 16 points in less than two minutes to pull away from the Chargers.

Hillsdale tied the game 14-14 early in the third quarter when senior quarterback Sam Landry connected with senior wide receiver Evan Sassack for their second scoring pass of the game. But the final 3:42 of the third quarter proved to be fatal for Hillsdale.

After the 39-yard run by ODU's Brandon Schoen, the Panthers forced a fumble at the Hillsdale 2-yard-line and pounced on the loose ball for another score.

Just 44 seconds later, the Chargers pulled back within 10 when Landry hit Evan Bach on a 58-yard touchdown pass to make the score 30-20. But the Panthers answered early in the fourth with a big play of their own, a 65-yard touchdown pass, to wrap up the scoring.

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