Olivet Falls to Alma, 21-14, in Olivet

OLIVET, MI. -- The Olivet College football team lost to Alma College, 21-14, before 4,127 fans during Homecoming in Olivet. With the loss, the Comets' record falls to 2-3 overall and 0-2 in the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association. With the win, the Scots improve their record to 5-1 overall and 2-0 in the MIAA.

After a scoreless first quarter, Alma quarterback Steve Slowke fumbled the ball at the 13-yard line. Olivet freshman defensive back Ryan Hayes picked up the loose ball and ran it back 87 yards for a touchdown. Senior Eric Pocan (Lansing Sexton High School) added the extra point kick to give Olivet a 7-0 lead. On the Scots' next possession, Slowke connected with Mark Boehms from 40 yards out to tie the game at 7-7. The game remained tied at 7-7 at halftime.

Olivet fumbled the ball on its second play of the second half and Alma capitalized when Slowke found Boehms for a 10-yard touchdown scoring strike. The Comets immediately responded with a 14-play, 80-yard drive capped off by a three-yard TD run by freshman running back Kitt Jarzbkowski (Reed City High School) to tie the score at the 5:57 mark. Slowke completed a six-yard pass to Cole Thelen for the winning score with 2:12 left in the third stanza.

Offensively, freshman Damien Brown (Harper Woods Gallagher) led the ground attack for the Comets with 13 carries for 48 yards. Sophomore Rick Mason (Belding High School) completed six of 10 passes for 55 yards. Defensively, senior linebacker Mike Hanna (Lake Odessa Lakewood High School) had 10 tackles, including a quarterback sack for minus 18 yards.

Slowke led the Scot offense as he completed 20 of 33 passes for 235 yards. He also rushed for 47 yards.

Olivet will resume MIAA play next Saturday, Oct. 19, when it travels to play Kalamazoo College at 1:00 p.m.