ROCK ISLAND, Ill. - The Illinois Wesleyan University saw a fourth-quarter lead slip away Saturday, Oct. 29, at Augustana College. The Titans (5-3, 4-3 CCIW) led by 10 late but could not hold off the Vikings (5-3, 4-3 CCIW) in College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin action at Lindberg Stadium.

Trailing by 11 with five minutes to play, Illinois Wesleyan used two key catches from sophomore Jonas Capek (Berwyn, Ill.-Fenwick) to set IWU up for an eight-yard touchdown catch from senior Matt Young (Bartlett, Ill.-Bartlett). The score, the first of Young's career, was followed by a successful two-point conversion attempt as sophomore Jay Lemenager (Clifton, Ill.-Clifton) found senior Charlie Hamilton (Springfield, Ill.-Sacred Heart-Griffin) to cut the deficit to three, 24-21.

The Green and White successfully recovered an onside kick with just 36.5 ticks left to play, keeping the Titan comeback hopes alive. A fumble on first and 10 from the Augustana 34 stalled the effort, as the Vikings were able to kneel out a 24-21 setback for the Titans. 

A defensive battle from the start, saw neither team finish with more than 250 yards of total offense. IWU compiled 237 yards to Augie's 203, as the Titans rushed for 127 yards and threw for 92. The Vikings 203 yards of total offense came on 109 yards passing and 66 yards rushing.

The Green and White defense came up with two interceptions, as IWU held a 2-1 edge in takeaways. Sophomore Frank Roti (Orland Hills, Ill.-Andrew) notched his third INT of the season, while senior Anthony Wachal Jr. (Elk Grove Village, Ill.-Conant) picked off his second pass of the year.

Junior Joel Baer (Eureka, Ill.-Eureka) led the defense with eight tackles and a half a tackle for loss, while Wachal and junior Joshua Klein (Glen Carbon, Ill.-Edwardsville) added six stops each. Sophomore Josh Hlavacek (Plainfield, Ill.-Plainfield North) tallied four stops, highlighted by two TFLs and 1.5 sacks. Roti rounded out his day with three tackles and 1.5 stops for loss. Sophomore Owen Phaby (Frankfort, Ill.-Lincoln-Way East) tied Hlavacek for the team-lead with two TFLs and 1.5 sacks in a three-tackle day.

Offensively, Lemenager completed 18-for-35 passes for 237 yards and a touchdown. The southpaw was under pressure all day as Augie recorded five sacks, but Lemanger escaped the pocket for 27 yards and a rushing TD. Hamilton finished the day with five catches for 91 yards, while Young hauled in three grabs for 47 yards and a score.

Junior Seth Albin (Midlothian, Ill.-Oak Forest) paced the rushing game, carrying the ball 17 times for a team-best 54 yards. 

The Titans used the determination of Albin and a few timely catches by Hamilton to move across midfield on their opening drive. An acrobatic catch by Young down the IWU sideline was good for nine yards and an Illinois Wesleyan first down before Albin ran the Green and White into the redzone. Senior Andrew Stange (Lake Zurich, Ill.-Lake Zurich) took it from there, splitting the uprights for a 41-yard field goal to lift IWU to a 3-0 advantage.

Roti's interception was the catalyst for the Titans next score, as he picked off a pass near midfield with 6:37 to play in the second quarter. A 27-yard completion to sophomore Ryan Saxe (Palatine, Ill.-Fremd) was followed by runs from senior Ian Kroemer (Aurora, Ill.-Oswego East) and Albin to give IWU a fresh set of downs at the Augie 32-yard line. Sophomore Cole Walker (Broomfield, Colo.-Legacy) snagged a 16-yard catch deep across the middle before Lemenager ran it in from one yard out to extend IWU's lead to double digits, 10-0, into halftime.

The Vikings returned the opening kick of the second half deep into IWU territory, but the Titan defense held Augie to a field goal. 

A 33-yard catch by Hamilton and a five-yard grab by Walker carried the Green and White into scoring position, where Stange converted a 20-yard field goal to reclaim a 10-point advantage, 13-3.

Augustana took advantage of a short field to tack on a touchdown before the end of the third, cutting IWU's lead to three, 13-10, with 15 minutes to play. 

Things unraveled a bit for the Titans from there, as the Vikings scoring run continued with a 28-yard touchdown pass and a seven-yard rushing touchdown as the home team charged ahead, 24-13. 

Illinois Wesleyan mounted a comeback from there, going 65 yards in six plays in just over a minute to pull within a field goal. Augustana held off the Titans from there, 24-21.

The Titans will close out the home portion of their schedule next weekend, Nov. 5, with a Senior Day contest against No. 1 ranked North Central College. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. with recognition of IWU's seniors set for 12:45 p.m.