ST. PAUL, Minn. – The Macalester College football team lost a non-conference game to Monmouth College, 26-0 Saturday afternoon at Macalester Stadium. The defeat is the first of the season for the Scots, who are now 2-1. Monmouth, who won the Midwest Conference and advanced to the NCAA playoffs in 2016, improves to 2-1.

After a scoreless first quarter, Monmouth broke through with 17 points, including a pair of touchdown passes from Hayden Nelson to Yansay Williams and a Joey Biel field goal. On the first possession of the second half, Macalester drove down to the Monmouth 6-yard line, with senior quarterback Christian Adams (Alexandria, La./Pineville) hitting junior receivers Alec Beatty (Topeka, Kan./Topeka) and Jack Streibich (Whitefish, Mont./Whitefish) for gains of 23 and 25 yards on the drive. But the Scots stalled at the 7-yard line, and a missed field goal kept Macalester off the scoreboard.

In victories over Carleton and Hamline to open the season, the Scots averaged 385 yards and 27.0 points per game. Today the offense was unable to get on track, netting just 110 yards of total offense. Turnovers also played a role, with three interceptions and two lost fumbles that halted any momentum the Scots could generate.

Another Biel field goal in the third quarter and a 23-yard touchdown run by Joshua McKenzie in the fourth pushed the Monmouth lead to 26-0. Nelson was 13-of-19 for 114 yards passing and two touchdowns, while Deandre Wright rushed for 63 yards on 18 attempts.

Junior defensive back Andrew Smith (Racine, Wis./St. Catherine's) intercepted two passes, while senior defensive back Cash McGregor (Wasilla, Alaska/Wasilla) registered 12 tackles. Beatty caught four passes for 45 yards, and Adams finished with 119 yards passing.

Macalester returns to action on Saturday, Sept. 30 with another cross-divisional game against Lake Forest College. Kickoff is set for 1:00 p.m. in Lake Forest, Ill.