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September 25,
2004
NORTH ALABAMA COMEBACK FALLS SHORT AT HARDING
SEARCY, Ark.
-- Ben Davis hit a 32-yard field goal as time expired to
give Harding a 30-27 win over North Alabama and thwart the Lions
comeback attempt at First Security Stadium. UNA had trailed
20-0 in the first half but rallied to tie the game at 27-27 with
6:28 left in the game. Harding then drove to the Lions 15-yard line
before Davis came on for the winning kick. The loss, UNA’s
second straight, drops the Lions to 2-2 overall and 1-2 in the Gulf
South Conference. Harding is 4-1 overall and 2-1. A UNA
turnover on its frst possession of the second half led to a quick
Harding score and a 27-14 Bison lead on an 18-yard TD pass from Adam
Lybrand to David Feliciano. A 37-yard Beau Tanner field goal closed
the gap to 27-17 with 7:06 left in the third quarter.
A 14-yard pass from Vinnie Saylor to
Chip Long with 4:37 left in the third brought UNA to within three
points at 27-24, then Tanner tied the game with a 41-yard field
goal. Following the kickoff, Harding was stopped at its
33-yard line but UNA was called for pass interference and the Bisons
got a new set of downs at the 47. Nine plays later Davis hit the
game-winner. For the second straight week the Lions
found themselves down by three touchdowns in the first half.
Adam Lybrand passed 29 yards to David Feliciano for the first
touchdown with 7:07 left in the opening period. UNA’s Tim Hunt
blocked Ben Davis’ extra-point attempt to keep the lead at 6-0.
A bad UNA pitch on the option was picked up by Harding’s Torrance
Daniels on the Lions next possession and he returned it 25 yards for
a touchdown. Davis kick made it 13-0 with 4:50 left in the first
period.
Harding’s Reggie Knighton picked off
UNA’s Hansel Bearden on the Lions’ next possession and returned it
to the UNA six. Three plays later Cam Rowan pushed into the end zone
from a yard out and Harding led 20-0 with 1:54 left in the first
quarter. With the UNA offense unable to get going, the Lions
special teams took over as Anthony Merritt returned the ensuing
kickoff 98 yards for a touchdown. Beau Tanner’s PAT made it 20-7
with 1:36 left in the opening quarter. Late in the half, a
short Harding punt gave UNA the ball at the Bison’s 46-yard line and
the Lions would score three plays later. After an incompletion,
UNA’s Vinnie Saylor hit Jaron Fountain for a 45-yard gain to the
one. DeMarcus Blount then dove in for his 45th career touchdown.
Tanner’s PAT closed the gap to 20-14 with 2:42 left in the half.
UNA had one final scoring
opportunity in the first half but Tanner missed wide right on a
40-yard field goal attempt with three seconds left in the half.
The Lions return home to Braly Stadium for just the second time this
season next Saturday to host Central Arkansas.
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