Football | 9/5/2015 5:57:00 PM

North Park vs. Concordia Wisconsin - Box Score

When it mattered most, North Park came through in the clutch.

The Vikings overcame two deficits, including late in the third quarter, and earned a 23-16 victory over host Concordia University Wisconsin Saturday, avenging the loss NP suffered in its season opener last year.

Senior placekicker Noah Moore was calm, cool and collected as he laced three field goals, the most by an NPU kicker in a game since the 2002 season, and junior quarterback T.D. Conway threw for 283 yards on 26 of 55 completions and a touchdown. Freshman running back Kvonte Spearman was equally as impressive as he accumulated 131 yards of total offense, including 81 yards on 12 carries rushing to put NP in scoring position countless times to gain advantage.

After CUW seized control with a 20-yard drive ending in a 12-yard touchdown five minutes into the game, Moore connected on the first of his three FGs – this one a 19-yard boot – to close the gap to 7-3 with 6:35 left in the first quarter.

With momentum on its side, the Viking defense came alive much to the delight of the NP faithful when sophomore defensive back Matt DiFecchio made a great play and intercepted a Falcons' pass and returned it 36 yards for a touchdown to put the visitors ahead 10-7. Moore's second field goal, a 30-yard kick, which ended a 63-yard drive, then gave the Vikings a 13-7 advantage early in the second quarter. Concordia attempted to get back in the contest with 27-yard field goal of its own, trimming the deficit to 13-10. It wasn't until the second half however that the hosts found their offense in the form of a 13-yard touchdown run from Aaron Nixon putting CUW in front 16-13.

North Park's defense stifled and folded any opportunity Concordia presented thereafter. Led by a 12-tackle, two-sack performance from sophomore Chaun Maiava as well as a 13-tackle, one-sack performance from senior Brendon Dull, the Viking 'D' totaled nine sacks and held the CUW ground game to only 63 yards rushing.

Moore continued his onslaught and proved he could connect through the uprights at any distance as was evident in his third FG of the contest, a near 40-yard boot (37 yards), bringing the game even at 16-16 with 5:06 left in the third. It was shortly after that then North Park put the game away with its winning drive – a two-play 47-yard march – when Conway connected with sophomore wide receiver Jordan Turner for a 27-yard TD pass, Turner's first collegiate touchdown catch, at the 2:57 mark of third.

Turner finished the game with five catches for 64 yards, while Spearman had six catches for 50 yards and Dakota Conway five catches for 61. John Obasi Wilkinson added 51 yards rushing on four carries on the ground as well.

North Park (1-0) returns to action Saturday when it hosts St. Norbert College for a 1 p.m. contest.