ALMA, MI - The Benedictine University football team put together a fourth quarter rally but fell just short in dropping a 45-40 game at Alma College as part of the annual MIAA-NACC Challenge Series.

Benedictine trailed 45-19 early in the fourth quarter before stringing together three consecutive touchdowns to have a late opportunity.

Benedictine turned the ball over on the opening possession of the game. Alma took advantage, producing a touchdown to open the scoring. Benedictine intercepted a pass which would have halted the drive, but the pick was waved off due to a penalty. The drive was primarily run plays before a seven-yard touchdown pass made the score 7-0 at the 9:35 mark of the first quarter.

The offense stalled on the ensuing possession, but Benedictine recovered an Alma fumble on the punt return to start in solid field position. Consecutive pass completions put Benedictine inside the 10 before Joshua Williams scooted in from five yards out with 5:11 left in the first to tie the game, finishing a nine-play drive. Following a punt, Benedictine moved down the field to take the lead when Ryan Sample hit Williams for a 17-yard score, but a two-point conversion failed making the score 13-7 with 2:41 remaining in the opening quarter.

Alma needed two plays to move down the field and take a 14-13 lead and then recovered an onside kick, embarking on a 10-play drive to move ahead 21-13 early in the second. With the first half winding down, Alma kicked a field goal to pull ahead 24-13. Benedictine drove down the field quickly, but missed a 22-yard field goal attempt to close the half down by 11.

Alma received the ball to begin the second half and needed only three running plays to score and further the advantage to 31-13. Benedictine responded by marching 68 yards on 12 plays to pull within 31-19 on a nine-yard run by Sample. Alma scored the next 14 points to open the 45-19 lead early in the fourth.

Brandon Moore reeled in a 37-yard pass to open a nine-play drive that saw Sample hit Matt Fleming on a two-yard score with 7:32 to play in the game. A quick three-and-out set up a four-play 75-yard drive. Sample completed four passes to three different receivers in efficiently moving the team down field. Dean Pauley snared a 13-yard touchdown with 4:58 left.

Another three-and-out handed Benedictine the ball with less than four minutes to play. Five pass completions sent Benedictine into the endzone on a six-yard catch by Moore with 2:23 remaining. Alma converted on a fourth down to run out the clock.

The teams combined for nearly 1,000 yards of offense with Benedictine racking up 476. Sample threw 407 yards, completing 31-of-55 passes with four touchdowns. The senior also ran for a score and finished with 53 yards rushing. Moore caught nine passes for 149 yards with a touchdown. Pauley and Williams each snared seven passes.

Six players notched double-digit tackles led by 12 from Austin Nirva. Tyler Mitchell, Brad Nolan, Chris Branson and Victor Johnson each finished with 11 stops. Evontrae Pierce tallied 10 tackles.

Benedictine (1-2) is off until September 30 when the conference schedule begins with a 1:00 p.m. game at Rockford.