Hardin-Simmons Hits Game-Winning Field Goal to Defeat UW-L

For Immediate Release: Saturday, September 6, 2008

Winona, Minn. - Matt Fields hit a 25-yard field goal with :02 remaining to give Hardin-Simmons University (Texas) a 24-23 victory over UW-La Crosse Saturday night in the season-opener for both squads. The game was played at Maxwell Field at Winona (Minn.) State University due to the construction of the new Veterans' Memorial Field Sports Complex at UW-L.

UW-L had taken a 23-21 lead with 3:49 left on a safety after Hardin-Simmons' quarterback Justin Feaster fumbled the snap in the end zone. After the Cowboys' free kick, the Eagles were forced to punt and Hardin-Simmons took over at its own 31-yard line with 2:36 left. Feaster rushed for a first down on fourth-and-one at his own 40-yard line and then threw a 28-yard pass to Mychal Carrillo to UW-L's 30-yard line. Josh Stephens then had runs of 11 and nine yards to set the Cowboys up at the 10-yard line. Two plays later, Fields hit his game-winning field goal from 25-yards out with :02 left.

The Eagles had taken a 21-0 lead in the third quarter after Eric Donoval's third rushing touchdown of the game, this one from three-yards out. Donoval had made it 7-0 in the second on a 48-yard run and 14-0 early in the third after a one-yard run.

Stephens cut the lead to 21-7 with :07 remaining in the third quarter on a 5-yard run. The Cowboys cut the lead to 21-14 with 11:00 left as Feaster hit Zavious Robbins with an 18-yard touchdown pass. Hardin-Simmons' Michael Tracy intercepted a Griffin Moe pass on UW-L's next possession and returned it to the Eagles' four-yard line with 10:40 left. Feaster then hit Carrillo with a seven-yard touchdown pass with 9:42 remaining to force a 21-21 tie.

UW-L drove to the Hardin-Simmons' two-yard line on its next possession, but Donoval was stopped at the one-yard line on fourth-and-goal by Shelton Rainey and Ricky Poe. The Eagles took a 23-21 lead on the safety after Feaster mishandled the ball in the end zone.

UW-L finished with 303 yards of offense, including 194 rushing and 109 passing. Donoval set career-highs in rushing attempts (23), yards (166) and touchdowns (3). Reid Oldenburg added 33 yards on nine attempts. Moe finished 15-of-23 for 109 yards with two interceptions. He was sacked twice. Donoval led the Eagles with six catches for 26 yards while Travis Bordeau finished with four receptions for 29 yards.

Hardin-Simmons totaled 310 yards of offense, including 91 rushing and 219 passing. Stephens had 11 carries for 56 yards and a touchdown while Feaster finished 20-of-31 for 219 yards with two touchdowns. He was sacked oce. Carrillo caught eight passes for 87 yards and a touchdown.

Drew Kiefer led UW-L with 12 tackles, including two for loss. Mitch Dougherty added nine tackles while Joe Troia finished with three tackles for loss. Tracy had 10 tackles while Matt Warnasch finished with eight.

UW-L returns to action Saturday, September 13 at North Dakota at 1 p.m.