HOLLAND, Mich. – Mount St. Joseph football put together a strong second-half rally on Saturday afternoon, but an early surge from Hope College proved to be the difference as the Lions dropped a 31–28 decision on the road.
The Lions struck first in the opening quarter, driving 89 yards on 18 plays before senior quarterback Jaxon Schreiber connected with Eli Aston for a 5-yard touchdown. Maxwell Spencer added the extra point to give MSJ a 7–0 advantage.
Hope answered in the second quarter with four consecutive scoring drives, capitalizing on a balanced offensive attack to take a 28–7 lead into halftime.
Mount St. Joseph responded after the break. Schreiber and Aston continued to find their rhythm, hooking up for a 19-yard touchdown midway through the third quarter to cut into the deficit. The duo connected again early in the fourth on a 1-yard score, bringing the Lions within one possession at 28–21.
After a Hope field goal extended the margin to 31–21, the Lions put together one final push. Schreiber hit Aston for their fourth touchdown connection of the day with just over three minutes remaining, pulling MSJ within 31–28. The defense forced a late stand, but Hope's ground game was able to run out the clock and seal the result.
Schreiber finished the afternoon with 367 yards on 36-of-53 passing and four touchdowns. His 53 attempts and 36 completions both set new Mount St. Joseph single-game records. Aston was the primary beneficiary, delivering a standout performance with 14 receptions for 148 yards and all four scores.Michael Hunkus also had a stellar game catching 11 passes for 127 yards.
Defensively, the Lions held firm in the second half and forced multiple punts to fuel the comeback. Hope's decisive moments came late, with the Flying Dutchmen defense recording a key interception before halftime and a fourth-quarter sack that helped seal the result. Luke Paff (13) and Luke Fortkamp (10) each registered double-digit tackles in the game, while Derrick Rack and Jason Oprisek each registered a sack.
With the result, Mount St. Joseph moves to 1–2 on the season. The Lions will spend next week on a bye before returning to Schueler Field on October 4th against Anderson.
