The Online Reflector

By Staci Reafsnyder | Entertainment Editor

After a win against Michigan Tech on Oct. 17, the Greyhounds played their last home game of the season against conference-foe, the Tiffin University Dragons on Oct. 24. Tiffin entered Div. II athletics last season, where they had suffered a 12-57 loss to the ‘Hounds. This season the Dragons came back to again face UIndy with a 0-8 season record.

“When you play a team for a second time or a third time, you get a better feel for what they’re to do in terms of offense, defense [and] kicking game,” said defensive coordinator Bob Bartolomeo. “That’s important, I think.”

The ‘Hounds, however, went into the homecoming game with a two-game win-streak and a 3-5, 2-5 GLIAC record.

“[The season] has had its pluses and minuses like any other season,” Bartolomeo said. “We got hit with some injury bugs early and [that] caused us to make some adjustments that way. We’ve been in every game and we felt that we just didn’t finish games, and that’s something that we need to be aware of and work on as we close out the season.”

The homecoming game against the Dragons started off slow, with both teams remaining scoreless throughout the first quarter. Kicker Jace Morrison’s 42-yard field goal attempt showed promise at putting the ‘Hounds on the scoreboard, but was unsuccessful.

The second quarter started with Tiffin being the first to make a move as the team threw in a pass for a touchdown, taking the lead 7-0. Tiffin extended its lead to 14 late in the second quarter.

Freshman running back Patrick Bourne responded by putting the Greyhounds on the scoreboard with his touchdown. UIndy continued to rally with another second quarter touchdown by sophomore wide receiver Joe Leach, tying the game 14-14 at the half.

Bartolomeo said the biggest thing that they players did not do was panic.

“We knew their success was in-part because of our failures,” Bartolomeo said. “We just were not playing and doing the things that we practiced all week. We knew that if we settled down and did those things, we would be successful.”

The second half of the game started with a Greyhound fumble that Tiffin recovered. The Dragons would put three more points on the scoreboard with field goal that put them back in the lead, 17-14.

“The show of character [from the players] was impressive,” said head coach Joe Polizzi. “We didn’t lose our poise. We hung together and actually started playing harder and overcame some mistakes. We were able to hang on and execute.”

With the score still at 17-14 in Tiffin’s favor, the Greyhounds were able to score another touchdown to regain the lead of the game. This time they kept it, winning the game 21-17.

“On [Tiffin’s] last possession, when they had a chance to drive down and take the lead, I felt very confident,” Polizzi said. “I just was the look in our guy’s eyes. I saw the way they were playing, and I just knew we were going to make a play and stop them. That was probably the best show of character that we’ve had all year.”

Moving to 4-5 on the season, the Greyhounds still have the chance to come out with a winning season. Polizzi said that the first half of the season wasn’t what the Greyhounds were expecting.

“We really feel the urgent need to finish strong and continue the upward the progress, and continue to let the character of this great group of young men show through,” Polizzi said.

The ‘Hounds will finish the remainder of their season on the road against two GLIAC teams, Ashland University on Oct. 31 and Northern Michigan University on Nov. 7.