Box Score GRINNELL, Iowa – Grinnell College's football team rallied from a 10-point deficit with a huge third quarter, but couldn't hang on as Macalester College slipped out a 21-16 victory Saturday afternoon at Rosenbloom Field.
Grinnell, 0-3 on the season, erupted for 13 points in the third quarter to turn a 13-3 deficit into a 16-13 lead. But the Scots added a safety and touchdown in the final period.
Sam Poulos '16 had a big day for Grinnell offensively, throwing for 130 yards and running for another 94.
Zach McGriff '18 had three catches for 38 yards,
Jacob Meixler '15 had two receptions for 73 yards and
Greg Ruzich '16 had two catches for 17 yards.
Defensively,
David Ternes '15 had 13 tackles,
Daniel Munger '15 added 11 and
Jacob Beecher '16 tallied eight. Munger also forced a fumble and
Richard Renteria '15 returned that fumble for a touchdown.
Grinnell scored the lone points of the first period, a 29-yard field goal by
Graham Fisher '16, with 1:07 left. Poulos' 58-yard pass to Meixler helped set up the kick.
Macalester, 2-1 on the season, answered with 13 points in the second frame for a 13-3 lead at intermission.
The Pioneers took the opening kickoff of the second half and put together a 12-play, 75-yard drive. Poulos completed a 26-yard pass to McGriff and also had runs of 17 and 12 yards during the series, which was capped by
Jacob Bernholtz's '17 4-yard TD run with 8:47 left. Fisher's extra point made it 13-10.
Macalester drove into Grinnell territory after that, but Munger forced a fumble by the Scots' quarterback. Renteria scooped it up and went 69 yards to the end zone. The extra point was no good, but Grinnell was up 16-13 with 5:15 left in the third period.
Early in the fourth quarter, Poulos was tackled in the end zone for a safety, narrowing the Pioneers' lead to 16-15. Midway through the period, Macalester scored a touchdown to grab a 21-16 lead. Grinnell was unable to counter, giving the Scots' the win.
The Pioneers play at Lawrence University next Saturday. Action in Appleton, Wis., starts at noon.
