ST. PAUL, Minn. – Down by 23 points heading into the fourth quarter, the Macalester College football team battled back to come within one play of tying the score in a 37-35 loss to Hamline University in a MIAC Skyline Division game Saturday night at John Leaney Field at Macalester Stadium. The narrow defeat leaves the Scots with a record of 0-8 on the season and 0-3 in the division. The Pipers improve to 3-5, 1-3 Skyline.

Trailing 37-14 at the start of the fourth quarter, Macalester engineered a 7-play, 66-yard drive that ended with a 4-yard touchdown run by junior running back Vasco Sierra (Chicago, ill./DePaul College Prep) to make the score 37-21 with under 12 minutes to play. Hamline drove to the Macalester 11 on the next drive but stalled there, and a 28-yard field goal attempt was no good. Junior quarterback Jude Wallin (Wayne, Pa./Radnor) moved the Scots down the field, completing passes of 23 yards to senior receiver Gabe Kasper (Shoreview, Minn./Irondale) and 12 yards to senior receiver Henry Clymer (Cedar Rapids, Iowa/Washington) before connecting with Clymer on a 39-yard touchdown pass. Wallin threw a pass to Clymer for the two-point conversion to make it an eight-point game, 37-29 with just under six minutes to play.

With the Scots needing the ball back to get one more chance to tie the score, the Macalester defense held firm. Hamline gained just three yards on the ensuing possession and was forced to punt, giving the ball back to the Scots on the Macalester 35-yard line with 4:20 on the clock. Again Walling and the Scots marched down the field, moving the ball into Hamline territory. on 4th-and-5 at the Pipers' 14-yard line, Wallin hit Clymer for a 6-yard gain and a first down. After a 5-yard completion to sophomore tight end Ethan Dale (Plymouth, Minn./Wayzata), Sierra ran it in from three yards out to make the score 37-35.

On the two-point conversion attempt for the tie, Wallin threw a pass to senior Max Menache (Beverly Hills, Calif./Beverly Hills) at the goal line but it was incomplete. Hamline recovered the onside kick to clinch the win and end the comeback.

Hamline took control of the game with three touchdowns, including two scoring passes from Alejandro Villanueva to Dawson Schaffer, plus a 36-yard field goal from Durham Welch to lead, 23-0 midway through the second quarter. The Scots got on the board late in the second quarter with a 64-yard touchdown drive that culminated in a 2-yard touchdown pass from Wallin to first year receiver Paxton Boyd (Newton, Mass./Newton South) to make the halftime score, 23-7 Pipers.

In the third quarter, Villanueva ran for a 7-yard touchdown on Hamline's first possession, only to have Macalester respond with an 11-play, 75-yard drive capped by a 7-yard touchdown pass from Wallin to sophomore receiver Brian Maddox (Alexandria, Va./Georgetown Preparatory School). Villanueva and Schaffer connected again before the end of the quarter, this time for 35 yards, to put the Pipers on top, 37-14 heading into what would be an exciting fourth quarter.

Macalester gained a season-high 411 yards of total offense while allowing 497 yards to Hamline. Wallin was 32-of-50 for a career-high 310 yards and three touchdowns without an interception. He also rushed eight times for 34 yards. Clymer caught eight passes for 108 yards and a touchdown, while Maddox had eight receptions for 34 yards and a score. Boyd finished with six catches for 68 yards and a touchdown. Maddox also returned three kickoffs for 99 yards, including a 45-yarder.

Senior linebacker Noah Bresson (Homosassa, Fla./Crystal River) led the defense with nine tackles and a pass breakup. Junior Issam Rafidi (Oak Forest, Ill./Oak Forest) had seven tackles, while senior defensive lineman Xavier Pittman (Spring, Texas/Spring) had two quarterback hurries to go with four tackles. Senior defensive back Justin Potts (Bloomington, Ill./Normal Community) also had an interception, his third of the season and sixth of his career.

Villanueva threw for 303 yards and three touchdowns, while Schaffer caught nine passes for 219 yards and three touchdowns. Nicholas Vasko rushed for 97 yards and a touchdown, with Villanueva gaining 66 yards on the ground.

Macalester plays its final Skyline Division game next Saturday, Nov. 9 at Augsburg. Kickoff is at 12:00 p.m. in Minneapolis.