Box Score SOUTH EUCLID, Ohio – Ray Russ completed 25-of-44 passes for 459 yards and five touchdowns to lead Notre Dame College to a 35-34 win over Shepherd University in MEC football action at Mueller Field on Saturday.
Shepherd took a 7-0 lead when junior running back
Allen Cross (Elkridge, Md./Long Reach) on a seven-yard run with 11:45 left in the first quarter. Junior kicker
Ryan Earls (Stevensville, MD/Kent Island) added the extra point.
Notre Dame answered back when Russ teamed with Mitchell Shegos on a 17-yard scoring pass with 1:19 left in the first quarter to cut the lead to 7-6.
The Falcons took a 13-7 lead as Russ teamed with Kyle Perkins on 34-yard scoring strike with 7:20 left in the second quarter.
Notre Dame extended its lead to 20-7 when Russ connected with BJ Baldwin on a 41-yard touchdown pass with 3:44 left in the half.
Shepherd opened up the second half scoring when Cross scored on a nine-yard run with 10:57 left in the third quarter.
Notre Dame got a 35-yard field goal from Kyle Kaplan to take a 23-13 lead minutes later.
Shepherd took a 27-23 lead when Cross scored on a one-yard plunge on a fourth-and-goal with five seconds left in the third quarter.
Notre Dame retook the lead as Russ teamed with on a 75-yard scoring strike to Shegos with no time left in the third quarter as the Falcons gained a 29-27 advantage.
The Rams took a 34-29 lead on a 12-yard run by sophomore quarterback
Jeff Ziemba (Wilmington , Del./St. Mark's) with 11:37 left in the fourth quarter.
The Falcons took a 35-34 lead as Russ fired a 75-yard scoring strike to Emmanuel Smith with 11:17 left in the fourth quarter and held on for the victory.
The Rams had a pair of scoring opportunities in the game's final minutes, but a turnover and a missed field goal sealed their fate.
Ziemba completed 18-of-29 passes for 232 yards for the Rams.
Shegos had 11 catches for 155 yards for the Falcons.
Cross rushed 27 times for 132 yards to lead the Shepherd ground attack. Sophomore running back
Jabre Lolley (Wilmington, Del./St. Mark's) added 85 yards on 12 carries and Ziemba rushed nine times for 39 yards.
Shepherd totaled 532 yards of total offense, while Notre Dame totaled 493 yards. Shepherd amassed 300 yards on the ground.
Redshirt-freshman linebacker
James Gupton (Waldorf, Md./North Point) recorded a game-high 12 tackles (four solo) for the Rams. George Berry had 11 tackles (six solo) for Notre Dame.
Shepherd falls to 6-1, 6-1 in conference play, while Notre Dame improves to 5-2, 5-1. The Rams return to action on Nov. 1 when they host Glenville State at 1 p.m. for Homecoming.