MONTICELLO – The University of Arkansas at Monticello football team defeated 14^th ranked Ouachita Baptist Saturday evening by a final score of 34-32 to give the Tigers their first loss to the 2009 season.

 

The win also gives UAM its first home win and first conference win of the 2009 season, and gives UAM head coach Gwaine Mathews his first career win over a nationally ranked opponent.

 

Junior Michael Servantes had a big game for the Boll Weevils. The Fresno City, Calif. native blocked two field goal attempts, including the potential game-winning field goal for OBU with only 32 seconds remaining in regulation. Servantes’ other blocked field goal resulted in a 75-yard return for a touchdown by junior teammate Marcus VanBuren at the 2:41 mark of the opening quarter. Servantes was also third on the team with eight tackles and added two pass deflections and one quarterback hurry to his totals.

 

OBU (4-1, 3-1 GSC) took an early lead over UAM (2-4, 1-2 GSC) on the opening kickoff with an 89-yard return for a touchdown by Jeremy Young, using only 13 seconds off the clock.

 

The Boll Weevils answered two possessions later with a five-yard touchdown reception by senior Charles Spann from junior quarterback Scott Buisson with 5:49 left in the first quarter to cap a 12-play, 71-yard drive.

 

VanBuren’s blocked field goal return for a touchdown followed before OBU trimmed the UAM lead to 14-10 with a 27-yard field goal by Jason Fowler with 13:08 left in the first half.

 

On the ensuing kickoff, junior Steven Porter returned the kickoff 34 yards to the OBU 45-yard line and gained five more yards on an offside penalty against the Tigers. Buisson and Spann hooked up for the second time of the game on the next play, giving UAM a 21-10 lead with a 40-yard touchdown pass at the 12:54 mark of the third quarter.

 

UAM struck next with a nine-yard touchdown pass from Buisson to Porter to cap an eight-play, 44-yard drive at the 6:36 mark of the third quarter, giving UAM a 28-10 lead.

 

The Tigers found the end zone again with a five-yard touchdown run by quarterback Eli Cranor with 2:54 remaining in the third to trim the UAM lead to 28-17.

 

OBU forced a turnover on UAM’s next possession and Fowler nailed a 35-yard field goal as time expired in the first half, giving UAM a 28-20 lead going into the locker room.

 

UAM opened the scoring in the second half with a 33-yard field goal by freshman Joe Lamoureux at the 10:12 mark to give UAM a 31-20 lead.

 

Cranor struck back for the Tigers, finding Jeremy Young for a 24-yard touchdown strike with 6:04 left in the third quarter, but a failed two-point conversion attempt left the Tigers trailing 31-26.

 

Lamoureux answered with his second field goal of the night, this time from 30 yards with 1:48 left in the third quarter, giving UAM a 34-26 lead.

 

OBU’s Keldrick Johnson made it a two-point contest with a three-yard touchdown rush with 14:48 left in regulation. Cranor’s pass attempt for a two-point conversion was incomplete, giving UAM its final 34-32 advantage.

 

Buisson finished the game completing 19 of 31 passes with 306 yards and three touchdowns. He also had 13 carries for 10 yards.

 

Junior Joseph Lockwood was Buisson’s favorite target with six completions for 40 yards, but Porter led the team with 90 yards on three receptions, including his nine-yard touchdown catch. Porter also had 54 kick return yards for a total of 148 all-purpose yards.

 

Senior Quenton Arnett and junior Carlton Johnson tied for the overall game lead of 13 tackles. Arnett had one tackle for a loss of two yards and added his second interception of the season. Johnson added one quarterback hurry to his final totals.

 

Next up for the Boll Weevils is a trip to Carrollton, Ga. for a “Gulf South Conference TV-Live Game of the Week” against West Georgia on Thursday, October 8 at 7 p.m. It is the second consecutive year for the Weevils and Wolves to meet on regional television. Last season, UAM won 50-17 in Monticello.