Trailing 28-0 to visiting Findlay in the fourth quarter, the Hillsdale College football team staged a spirited rally with 21 points in the final period, but couldn't quite overcome that deficit in a 31-21 loss to the Oilers on Homecoming Saturday.
Quarterback Garrit Aissen was 8 of 11 for 113 yards for the Chargers in the fourth quarter, running in a touchdown from one yard out to get the Chargers on the board on the first play of the fourth quarter, and connecting with true freshman Shea Ruddy on a 40 yard touchdown pass with 44 seconds to go to keep hope alive.
Immediately after Aissen's rushing touchdown, Hillsdale's defense forced a three and out and got a lucky break when Findlay's snap on the punt bounced off one of the blockers in front of the punter, creating a scramble for the ball that allowed the Chargers to take over on their own 21. Three plays later, tailback Michael Herzog punched in a four-yard run to bring Hillsdale within 28-14 with 11:53 to play, and time to mount a comeback. It looked like the Chargers might be doing just that, when, on the ensuing drive, Hillsdale's Kaden Evans and Nolan Strake stopped Findlay quarterback Alec Bornhorst two yards short of the first down on a fourth and four play to take over at their own 38 with 6:23 to go.
Hillsdale was able to drive into Findlay territory with a chance to cut the Oilers' lead to one possession on the ensuing drive, but came up short on their own fourth and four play, and on the next drive with 3:50 to play the Oilers were able to run 2:29 off the clock, force Hillsdale to burn two timeouts, and get a critical 27-yard field goal to make it a 31-14 lead with 1:21 to go.
Aissen's long passing touchdown to Ruddy with 44 seconds to play kept hope of a miracle alive, but Findlay was able to recover the ensuing onside kick by the Chargers and run out the clock to secure the victory.
Despite outscoring the Oilers 21-3 in the final period, Hillsdale didn't have enough time to dig out of the hole they'd put themselves in over the first three quarters. The Chargers were picked off three times and missed a 32 yard field goal attempt in those quarters, miscues that led directly to 14 Findlay points on ensuing drives and gave the Oilers their margin of victory.
Aissen finished 19 of 29 for 269 yards and the touchdown to Ruddy to lead Hillsdale through the air. Ruddy became the latest freshman Chargers receiver to post a huge game, catching five passes for 114 yards and his first collegiate touchdown. Perhaps more importantly, he flashed playmaking ability with the ball in his hands, recording 62 yards after the catch and making multiple defenders miss on his touchdown reception. Fellow freshman Sam Lee added 82 yards on six catches as well for Hillsdale.
Herzog persevered through a tough day on the ground against one of the best run defenses statistically in the G-MAC, finishing with 58 yards on 19 carries but running his streak of games with a rushing touchdown to five with his fourth-quarter score.
Defensively, safeties Sam Zemis and Nolan Strake each had big days for the Chargers, each finishing with 11 tackles to lead Hilllsdale, while Matt Soderdahl added nine tackles, one for loss, and a third quarter interception that helped flip the momentum in the Chargers' direction and led directly to Hillsdale's first touchdown of the game.
On the line, Hunter Sperling recorded a solo sack and teamed up with fellow defensive tackle Landon VanBeek on another sack as well.
The Chargers are now 0-4, 0-2 in the G-MAC and will play again at home next weekend against in-state rival Northwood, looking to snap a six-game losing streak dating back to last season and record their ninth straight win over the Timberwolves, who haven't beaten Hillsdale since 2009.