CLINTON, Miss. --- The Mississippi College football team saw a strong start come up short in a 38-13 loss to West Alabama on Saturday night at Robinson-Hale Stadium.

The night began with the 2017 senior class participating in the first-ever "Senior Sprint" and leading the team out onto the field.

The Choctaws (1-2, 0-2 GSC) used the momentum of the noisy crowd to answer an early touchdown by the Tigers (1-2, 1-0 GSC) with one of their own as sophomore Colt Freeman caught a 13-yard scoring pass from senior Sharone Wright.

Wright had a career night for the Choctaws as the signal-caller, passing for 285 yards on 24 completions with the touchdown pass.

Senior Marcel Newson also had his biggest night of the season with 152 receiving yards on eight receptions. Freeman caught six passes for 60 yards and the score.

The Choctaw offense outgained the Tigers, 398-375, but UWA rushed for a total of 295 yards of 47 carries.

With the score tied 7-7 after just nine minutes of the game, the defenses traded punches and the teams went into the second quarter with the score still knotted.

Junior Matt Brasher gave MC a 10-7 advantage with 9:36 remaining in the half, nailing a 21-yard field goal after freshman Courtney Allen recovered a fumble forced by sophomore Da'Quan Lewis.

The Tigers would answer back with three points of their own as Reed James made a 45-yard field goal with 5:34 remaining in the half.

The UWA special teams came up big on the next possession as they blocked a punt and the offense turned it into a touchdown as Lakendric Thomas rushed in from eight yards out and the Tigers took a 17-10 lead into the break.

The Choctaws took the opening possession of the second half and cut the score to 17-13 as Brasher made a 27-yard field goal following an 8-play, 72-yard drive.

The Tigers, however, would score touchdowns on their next two drives and open the score up to 31-13. They would add another score in the fourth quarter to extend the final advantage.

Junior Kris Reliford and sophomore Mike Hall led the team with eight tackles apiece, while sophomore Kaleb Coleman had six tackles with a fumble recovery.

Thomas led the West Alabama offense with 145 rushing yards and a score, while Rashaad Lee rushed for 81 yards and a score.

Jordan Jones led West Alabama with seven tackles and 2.0 tackles for loss.

The Choctaws will be back in action at home next Saturday when they will host Cumberland (TN) in their final non-conference game of the season.

Mississippi College is a private Christian university located in Clinton, Mississippi with an enrollment of over 5,000 students. MC is recently finished their transition process back to NCAA Division II and the Gulf South Conference and will be competing for conference and national championships in the 2016-17 academic year.
 
The athletic department sponsors 17 intercollegiate athletic programs: Baseball, Men's and Women's Basketball, Men's and Women's Cross Country, Football, Golf, Men's and Women's Soccer, Softball, Men's and Women's Tennis, Men's and Women's Indoor Track & Field, Men's and Women's Outdoor Track & Field and Volleyball.
 
For more information on Mississippi College athletics, please contact David Nichols at 601-925-3234 or nichols@mc.edu
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