Game Leaders
Team Stats
Passing Yards
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Turnovers
Time of Poss.
ST. PAUL – The University of Northwestern returned to form on Saturday, rebounding from a Week 5 loss to shut out the University of Minnesota Morris 33-0 on homecoming at Reynolds Field. The Eagles held the visiting Cougars to just 149 yards overall and 11 rushing yards.
Despite a slow start with no first quarter scoring, Northwestern offered a balanced attack with 19 second quarter points. Chris Simon-Wallace (Minnetonka, Minn./Minnetonka) found the end zone for UNW's first two scores, rushing in from four and three yards out to put the Eagles ahead 12-0. Quarterback Jacob Fletcher (Moorhead, Minn./Park Christian) guided the Purple and Gold to drives of 11 and 13 plays in those efforts before connecting with Caleb Couwenhoven (Blaine, Minn./Fridley) on a 14-yard touchdown pass to put Northwestern up 19-0 at halftime.
Northwestern owned a 149 to 67 advantage in total yards in the first half with the Eagles defense finding success against the Morris running attack. In 16 attempts in the initial 30 minutes, the Cougars were minus-11 in the rushing category.
UNW picked up in the third quarter right where it had stopped in the second, going 65 yards on its opening drive of the second half with Cody Carlson (Dallas Center, Iowa/Des Moines Christian) hauling in a 29-yard strike from Fletcher. Running back Josh Sinnen (Waconia, Minn./Waconia), back after suffering an injury against Crown College on September 27, capped off the Eagles' scoring with a six-yard dash across the goal line to account for the 33-yard score.
Northwestern went 50 yards over its average with a 472-yard output on offense, but it was the Eagles' defensive numbers that were more impressive. UNW held the Cougars to just nine first downs and a 2.7 yards-per-play average while picking off quarterback Mike McLaren once in the fourth quarter. Luke Sommerlot (Pocahontas, Iowa/Pocahontas Area ) had 14 tackles, two of which went for a loss. Northwestern had sacked McLaren four times, bumping the Eagles' season total to 16.
Offensively, Simon-Wallace led UNW on the ground with 94 yards on 13 attempts to average 7.2 yards per carry. Sinnen added 64 yards, while Fletcher finished his day completing 19 of 29 passes for 266 yards. Grant Schoen(Independence, Minn. /Orono) relieved Fletcher in the fourth period, going 3-of-4 for 29 yards.
The win improves Northwestern to 5-1 on the season and 4-1 in Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) play, while the Cougars continue to look for their first win of the year at 0-6. UNW will stay at home next Saturday, Oct. 18, hosting Greenville College in a 12 p.m. kickoff at Reynolds Field.