The William Jewell College football team gave up 41 first half points and fell to McKendree University 41-23 in Great Lakes Valley Conference action on Saturday at Greene Stadium.

Jewell falls to 0-4 on the year and 0-2 in GLVC play.  The Bearcats move to 3-0 overall and picked up their first conference win today.

After stopping the Cardinals on their first drive of the game McKendree drove 63 yards on seven plays before reigning GLVC player of the week quarterback Isaac Fisher ran it in from six yards out to put the Bearcats up 7-0. 

Jewell responded with a six play 60 yard drive when Graft Bulla hauled in a 20 yard pass from Nick West to tie things up 7-7.

McKendree then scored 17 unanswered points in the first quarter off a 75 yard touchdown pass, a 31-yard field goal and a one-yard touchdown run.

Brandon Womack stopped the streak with a 37-yard field goal in the beginning of the second quarter.  McKendree then reeled off 17 straight points to head into halftime up 41-10.

The second half saw the Cardinals clamp down defensively and hold the Bearcats scoreless but Jewell was only able to put up 13 second half points. Trejuan Mask had a one-yard touchdown run while Darrick Strzlecki punched one in from two-yards with 1:35 to play. 

Mask led the Cards in rushing with 100 yards on 18 attempts and Bulla hauled in eight passes for 113 yards. 

Quarterback Nick West finished the day 31-54 for 306 yards and one interception.   McKendree quarterback Fisher was 20-29 for 321 yards with three passing touchdowns and a rushing touchdown.

Defensively, Nick Messer led Jewell with eight tackles and a sack.

The Cardinals will look to bounce back next week as they host Missouri S&T for a homecoming showdown on Saturday, October 3 at 1:00 p.m.