GEORGETOWN, Texas – A 17-7 lead early in the fourth quarter could not be maintained as the Southwestern University football team lost a heartbreaker on Senior Day and Homecoming by a 21-17 final score against arch-rival Texas Lutheran.
Southwestern (3-6, 2-5 ASC) increased its lead to 17-7 thanks to the foot of Charlie Fournier who booted a 28-yard field goal with 12:46 left in the game.
Texas Lutheran (4-5, 3-4 ASC) responded with an 11-play, 70-yard drive that covered 4:42 of action that was culminated in a Seth Cosme completion to Aaron Sotelo that went for an 18-yard touchdown. The completion was the second touchdown between the two as Cosme hit Sotelo for a touchdown on the final play of the first half.
Southwestern looked to be on the way to putting the game out of reach when si plays after the kickoff, the Pirates had it first and goal at the five.
Four players later, the Bulldogs would take over after Daniel Gomez's fourth and goal pass attempt was intercepted in the endzone.
Texas Lutheran would take over possession down 17-14 and on its own 20 with just 1:59 left in the game.
Twelve plays later, the Bulldogs would find themselves leading for the first time in the contest at 21-17 with 0:10 remaining when Cosme connected with Cayleb Klostermann on a 1-yard touchdown pass.
Southwestern gave itself a shot with a second down completion from its own 35 to the TLU 48 with 0:01 to go with a hope for a hailmary completion.
Unfortunately for the Pirates, Gomez's pass completion to Jaquon Marion covered 43 yards instead of the needed 48 yards for a touchdown.
Marion, however, did score a touchdown in the first quarter to get the scoring started for both teams when he scampered in from 18 yards out for a rushing touchdown.
JoJo Wilson also scored for the Pirates when his third quarter touchdown put Southwestern on top 14-7 Wilson's completion from Gomez covere
Both teams did exceptionally well converting the ball on third down with Southwestern converting on 7-of-10 while Texas Lutheran was 7-for-14.
Southwestern, however, did lead in overall yards 429-298 including 282-236 passing and 147-62 rushing.
The Bulldogs used a grind-it-out style of play to keep the Pirates vaunted offense off the field as much as possible by owning a 39:26-20:34 time of possession advantage.
Gomez finished the day going 21-for-31 with 282 yards passing to go along with two interceptions and one touchdown while his top target was Ethan Powell who had nine catches for 101 yards. Wilson recorded the one receiving touchdown for the day to go along with his five total receptions for 64 yards.
Marion led the way on the ground with 112 yards on 18 carries.
Cosme finished the day for TLU going 30-for-38 with two touchdowns and 236 yards passing with Sotelo being his top target by far with 12 receptions for 123 yards and two touchdowns.
UP NEXT
Southwestern will conclude its season with a road contest at Sul Ross State in Alpine, Texas. Kickoff from Jackson Field is scheduled for 1 p.m. CST.