The Tiger defense forced a Trinity fumble in the first quarter ...
	setting up sophomore Dan Ryan's 5-yard score from junior Jason Lee. (Photos: Marilyn Culler)

Greencastle, Ind. - Three second-half Trinity touchdowns and a nearly seven-minute game-ending drive erased DePauw's 13-10 halftime lead and sent the Tigers to their fourth straight defeat, 30-26.

DePauw held a 13-10 halftime lead against the team that is ranked as high as second and no lower than fifth in Division III national polls, but an early-second half score gave Trinity the lead for good and a fake field goal attempt that went for a touchdown just minutes later gave the visitors a 23-13 lead which they never relinquished.

With the win, Trinity improved to 4-0 on the season and 1-0 in the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference, while DePauw fell to 0-4 overall and 0-2 in the SCAC. The Trinity victory also extended their 33-game regular season win streak. The DePauw loss was their fourth this year by six or fewer points.

Trinity scored on its first possession of the game and did so in quick fashion as it needed just four plays to cover 63 yards with the final 30 coming on a pass play from Roy Hampton to Jerheme Urban just 2:25 into the contest.

Following a Trinity fumble deep in their own territory, the Tigers tied the contest at 7-7 on Jason Lee's 5-yard pass to Dan Ryan with 8:31 left in the first. DePauw took the lead early in the second as Lee teamed with Joe Schoen for a 12-yard score at the 14:54 mark. Ben Murray's point-after was blocked, but the hosts led 13-7. 

Trinity's Dusty Stiles booted a 22-yard field goal with 3:55 left in the half to cut the DePauw lead to 13-10.

Hampton drove Trinity down the field on its first possession of the second half completing seven of 10 passes including a 3-yarder to Matt Cheatham that put his team ahead 17-13.

Trinity started their next series in DePauw territory, but stalled at the Tigers' 27. Stiles came on to attempt a 44-yard field goal, but instead it was wide receiver Travis Munro connecting with a wide open Cheatham down the right sideline.  Stiles' point-after was no good, but the visitors led 23-13 with 5:35 left in the third.

Late in the third the Tigers started at their own 34 and Lee, who set five school and two conference records last Saturday, directed them on a quick scoring drive of five plays and 66 yards in just 1:13. Lee found Ryan McGuffey for a 20-yard score to cut the deficit to 23-20 with 1:23 left in the third.

Trinity struck back on their next series as Hampton completed a 7-yard scoring pass to Jason Hunt to make it 30-20 with 12:46 left in the fourth.

The Tigers were in a similar situation as they had faced each of the previous two weeks in being down by double-digits in the fourth. In each of those contests, DePauw came back to tie the game only to lose on the last play each time.

DePauw again put together another quick score, driving 72 yards in 12 plays and using just 3:42, as Lee teamed with Ryan for another 5-yard touchdown pass with 9:04 left. 

Faced with a third and 14 from its own 22, Trinity turned the ball over as Corey Yost intercepted Hampton's pass at the DePauw 43 and returned it to the Trinity 38. From there the Tigers lost two yards on a run and two of Lee's passes fell incomplete forcing the Tigers to punt.

Trinity started at its own 14 yard line with 6:59 left and kept the ball on the ground for 12 straight plays and four first downs and were able to run out the clock and take the four-point win.

Lee completed 21 of 39 passes for 286 yards and four touchdowns with seven going to Schoen for 145 yards and seven to Ryan for 102 yards. Hampton finished with 28-of-42 passing for 299 yards and three scores. He connected with Hunt 10 times for 132 yards. 

Trinity's Jeremy Boyce picked up 78 rushing yards on 18 carries including 26 on three carries during the final drive. For the second straight week, DePauw was held to negative yardage as they totaled just minus eight for the contest on 19 attempts.

Jason Geringer led the DePauw defense with 10 total tackles with Frisky Williams and Mike Laszynski each finishing with nine. John Paul Visosky and Josh Allen were in on six stops apiece for Trinity with Visosky totaling two for losses including a 10-yard sack. In all, Trinity sacked Lee four times for 39 yards.

DePauw takes next week off before hosting Sewanee in an SCAC contest on October 7 at 2 p.m. Trinity stays in SCAC play next Saturday as they host Rose-Hulman.

TIGER NOTES: Jason Lee's four touchdown passes were a career high ... Joe Schoen's career total of 107 receptions ranks ninth in school history and his 1,408 receiving yards is the eighth most ... DePauw's 26 points were the most by a Trinity opponent since 1998 when Washington (Mo) totaled 27 and the best offensive output by an SCAC opponent since Sewanee scored 33 against Trinity in 1997 ... DePauw's 13 first-half points were the only points scored in the first 30 minutes of any game against Trinity ... The four losses by six or fewer points marks just the third time in 113 seasons that a DePauw team has lost that many close games and the only time that they have come in consecutive weeks. The other years were 1911 and 1964.