Box score
RENSSELAER, Ind.- The University of Indianapolis used a solid stable of running backs to record a 42-16 non-conference win over host Saint Joseph's College on Saturday afternoon. The Hounds rushed for 274 yards on 52 carries and three scores in running their all-time series win streak over the Pumas to 12 straight.
Six different ball carriers handled the load for UIndy, including a 131-yard performance by junior Eric Wright and 96 yards from true freshman Halston Love on just 11 touches. Love found the endzone three times, once in the air and twice on the ground, for his first career scores.
In the opening drive, Greyhound QB Casey Gillin shrugged off back-to-back first-down sacks to find Love out of the backfield, as he raced 31 yards to the endzone. The touch was his first of the game and marked his first career score.
Later in the first stanza, St. Joe's took advantage of another sack, as a blindside hit on Gillin forced a fumble deep in Greyhound territory. It took just two plays to convert the turnover into points with Greg Ford scoring on an 11-yard run. The momentum to shift with the play, but Stephen Geller made sure to swing it back in favor of UIndy of the ensuing kickoff, however.
The sophomore fielded the kick at his own 23, avoided several diving Pumas before sprinting the right sidelines all the way to the endzone, the longest UIndy kickoff return since Marquis Tolliver took a Hillsdale kick back for 82 yards in 2002.
Love added another touchdown run and Wright notched his fifth score of the season to stake the Hounds to a 28-6 halftime advantage. In the opening half, UIndy dominated the statistics, holding the ball for 17:20 and outgaining the Pumas 225 to 85.
Wright carried the load in the first drive of the second half, rushing for a pair of first downs before giving way to Love, who polished off the drive with a 3-yard run for his third score of the afternoon.
The Pumas later benefitted from a short field thanks to an interception. They would get down to the 10-yard line on a running back pass but the defense held, forcing a 28-yard field goal attempt to make the score 35-9.
Wright and Love went back to work, carrying nine times combined in an effort to salt away the clock . The drive would stall at the 5-yard line, but not before 6:26 came off the game clock. With the Pumas pinned deep in their own territory, SJC was forced to punt out of its own endzone, giving UIndy the ball back at midfield.
Justin Blakely and Freddie Helm would each get their turn in the Greyhound backfield in the fourth quarter, marking the second straight game that featured at least six different UIndy ball carriers.
SJC (0-4) put together its best drive with help from several UIndy penalties, culminating in a 1-yard plunge by Anthony Lindsey. Lance Lasker put the exclamation point on the game, keeping the ball for a 5-yard score in the game's final minutes to mark the final score of 42-16.
Brandon Axum had six solo tackles while Kevin Shaw tallied a team-high seven total tackles for the Greyhound defense.
UIndy (3-1, 2-1 GLIAC) heads to Findlay next Saturday as it returns to conference action.
Notes: Wright has gone over 100 yards in total offense and has scored in all four games this season ... Wright (131 yards), Love (96 yards), Blakely (34) and Lasker (20) each recorded career highs in rushing in the contest ... The last St. Joe's win in the series came back in 1994, back when the teams were still in the same conference.
