JOPLIN, Mo. -
Zamar Brake and
Nathan Valencia each threw touchdown passes and
Julian Jackson-Linkhart forced a fumble, but the Lincoln football team dropped a 37-14 decision to Missouri Southern on Saturday (Oct. 8).
Brake completed 20 passes for 177 yards while Valencia finished with 133 yards on eight completions.
Aderias Ealy caught four passes for 98 yards, including catching a pass from Valencia and taking it 82 yards to the house for LU's first score of the day. That cut the Missouri Southern (4-2, 4-2 MIAA) lead down to 17-7 in the first quarter, but MSSU tacked on two more touchdowns in the second quarter to take control of the game.
In the second half, the Lincoln (0-6, 0-6 MIAA) defense limited Missouri Southern to just a pair of field goals.
Jaylon Mosley and
TeAndre Skinner led LU with seven tackles apiece, and Jackson-Linkhart totaled six tackles to go with his forced fumble and a pass break-up.
Aaron Okello also had six takedowns and was credited with a hurry, while
Cody Bagby,
Charles Ransom and
Samuel Amituanai each recorded tackles for loss.
A 16-yard run by
Dawan Lomax on 4th-and-2 helped set up Lincoln's second score. Lomax later had a 14-yard run to set LU up at the MSSU 14-yard line, and Brake connected with
Daimon Bell for a touchdown on the next play of the game. Bell had eight receptions for 57 yards, and
Chrisshun Robinson ended the day with a team-high nine grabs for 113 yards. On special teams, Ealy gained 56 yards on kick returns while
Michael Cunningham averaged 36.0 yards per punt. Cunningham also averaged 63.0 yards on kickoffs while
Javier Moreno went 2-for-2 on extra points.
Markey Mallary and
Otis Jackson finished with five tackles apiece, while
Cameron Hawkins and
Eric Brown each broke up a pass and made four tackles. Bagby was credited with a hurry, and
Clayton Winkler and
Charles Robertson also each broke up passes.
Aeneas Tibbs had a fumble recovery.
Lincoln will be at home for each of its next two games, beginning on Saturday (Oct. 15) with a 2:00 p.m. CT contest against Pittsburg State.
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