KINGSVILLE, Texas – Eastern New Mexico University football fell to Texas A&M-Kingsville, 56-22, Saturday evening at Javelina Stadium in the Greyhounds' Lone Star Conference opener. The loss moved ENMU to 0-3 overall and 0-1 in conference play.
The Greyhounds responded quickly after the Javelinas opened the scoring. ENMU put together a 13-play, 68-yard drive, capped by a one-yard touchdown run from
Emeka Megwa.
Elias Santana converted the two-point attempt to give Eastern an 8-7 advantage midway through the opening quarter.
Eastern regained the lead early in the second quarter when
Clifton Cooper connected with
Jose Trevino for a six-yard touchdown, putting the Hounds ahead 15-14. Texas A&M-Kingsville answered just 11 seconds later on a 65-yard Edward Chumley touchdown run and went on to take a 32-15 advantage into halftime.
ENMU continued to move the ball after the break, putting together an 81-yard drive on its opening possession of the third quarter, but came away empty after a blocked field-goal attempt. The Javelinas added three second-half touchdowns to extend their advantage. Eastern found the end zone once more in the fourth quarter when
Lake Bennett connected with
Trei Kibbles for a 44-yard touchdown.
Despite the result, the Greyhounds finished with 389 yards of total offense and held a 245-232 advantage on the ground. ENMU also recorded 20 first downs compared to 18 for the Javelinas.
Trevino led the Eastern receiving corps with five catches for 57 yards and a touchdown while adding 28 yards on the ground. Cooper led ENMU with 48 rushing yards, while
Matthew Quartieri paced the defense with nine total tackles.
Xander Holt recorded Eastern's lone sack of the night.
The Greyhounds will return home next weekend on Saturday, September 26
th to face UT Permian Basin (2-1) at 2 p.m.
