The William Jewell College football team opened up Great Lakes Valley Conference play hosting Saint Joseph's College on Saturday at Greene Stadium in Liberty, Mo.

Jewell made things interesting at the end but fell 31-26 to the Puma's to fall to 0-3 overall and 0-1 in GLVC play.  Saint Joseph's improves to 2-1 overall and 1-0 in league play.

The Cardinals got off to a rough start as Anthony Mullins fumbled the opening kickoff to give the Pumas tremendous field position at the 29-yard line of William Jewell.  The Cardinal defense held Saint Joseph's to a three and out and the Pumas had to settle for a 39-yard field goal which put them up 3-0. 

Late in the first quarter Jewell drove 49 yards in four plays when quarterback Jared Hobby found Bulla Graft from five yards out for the games first touchdown to put Jewell up 7-3. 

The Puma's then answered back with a 13 play drive that covered 83 yards and ended with a touchdown pass from Phillip Kimble to Martez Walker to put Saint Joseph's on top 10-7. 

With 4:00 to play in the half Hobby found Graft again who dodged his way up the field for a 60-yard touchdown which again gave Jewell a brief lead of 14-10.

Kimble again led the Pumas on a scoring drive of 10 plays that covered 77 yards in only 2:29 which ended in a touchdown pass to Tremel Glasper that increased  the Pumas lead 17-14.

With a 1:09 to go before half, Hobby found Mullins for a huge 41 yard gain that put the Cards in Puma territory.  After two consectutive runs, Brandon Womack nailed a 48 yard field goal as time expired in the first half to tie things up 17-17. 

The Pumas received the second half kickoff and drove to the Cardinal 45 and were stopped on fourth and 1 which gave the Cardinals some momentum. 

Jewell then proceeded to drive down the field to the Puma 9 but had to settle for 27-yard field goal from Womack which put the Cards up 20-17. 

Saint Joseph's responded with a 75-yard touchdown drive that took only 1:43 off the clock and the Pumas again regained the lead this time for good at 24-20. 
Two drives later Saint Joseph's scored another touchdown with 10:11 to play in the game to put them up 31-20. 

The Cardinals made things interesting when Hobby again found Graft for his third touchdown of the game with just over six minutes to play.  Jewell tried to go for two put Hobby's pass sailed high and the Cards trailed 31-26. 

Jewell's defense held the Pumas to a quick three an out but two costly penalties backed the Cards up to their own 9-yard line with 4:03 to play. 

The Cards drove to the 46 but failed to convert on a fourth and 13 and Saint Joseph's was able to run out the clock from there.
 
Hobby finished the day 23-33 for 332 yards and three touchdowns all to Graft.  Mullins and Graft both were over 100 receiving yards on the afternoon at 121 and 120 respectively. 

Andrew pence led the Cardinal defense with 9 tackles. 

The Cardinals will travel to Lebanon, Ill., next Saturday, September 24, 2016 to take on McKendree University in another GLVC contest.  Kick-off is slated for 1:00 p.m.