ROCKFORD, Ill. -- The Rockford University football team fell to the Elmhurst University Bluejays on Saturday afternoon, 28-14.
Quarterback
Ryan Vasavilbaso checked into the game in the second quarter, finishing 24-of-34 for 214 yards and a touchdown.
Malik Gordon ran for 21 yards on 11 attempts, which led the team. He paired that with 18 receiving yards on four catches.
Napoleon Williams set a new single-game receptions record, hauling in 15 passes for 104 yards.
Kenny Moten-Barden finished with 72 yards on seven catches and a touchdown.
Ethan Rager was a force, totaling 1.5 sacks, 3.5 tackles-for-loss, and six tackles.
Cory Wysinger had five pass breakups and
Joey Alvarez led the defense in tackled with eight.
Elmhurst jumped out to a 13-0 lead in the first quarter. After a Regents' three-and-out, the Bluejays got the ball in RU territory and scored on four plays. They would score again by recovering a bad Rockford snap in the end zone.
The Regents made a quarterback change to try and ignite the offense. Vasavilbaso led the Regents down the field on his first drive, connecting with Moten-Barden on a 28-yard touchdown to made it a 13-7 game.
Elmhurst would march right back down the field and score to end the half. Neither team could get anything going for most of the third quarter, trading punts.
The Regents finally found a rhythm with their final drive of the period and chunked their way down the field and
Brandon Edwards Jr. punched in a 2-yard touchdown to make it a one score game, 21-14.
Elmhurst did just enough in the fourth quarter to stave off a Regents' comeback, putting the final nail in the coffin with a 37-yard Justin Carlson to A.D. Russell connection.
The Regents will return to action on Saturday, Sep. 19, when they head to Concordia Chicago for a 1 p.m. bout against the Cougars.
