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EMPORIA, Kan. – The Northeastern State football team lost 45-24 to No. 24 Emporia State University Saturday afternoon at Francis G. Welch Stadium.
 
The RiverHawks (0-4, 0-4 MIAA) were led by a huge performance from junior running back Terrance Dixon, but the Hornets (4-0, 4-0 MIAA) were able to avoid the upset bid on their home turf.
 
Dixon amassed a career-high 220 all-purpose yards, which marked the first time in his career he hit the 200-yard plateau. He finished the day with 132 yards rushing and two touchdowns on a career-high-tying 27 carries. He also finished with career bests in both receptions (6) and receiving yards (88), which were both season highs for any NSU receiver.
 
Dixon scored twice in a game for the fourth time in his career, and he also hit 100 yards rushing for the fourth time as a member of the RiverHawks.
 
He kicked off the scoring for the visitors, as his 26-yard scamper on NSU's opening series capped a six-play, 75-yard drive. The RiverHawks scored on their first drive of the game for the second time in the last three games.
 
The excitement would be short-lived, however, as ESU quarterback Brent Wilson hooked up with Austin Willis for 52 yards to knot the score at 7-7 with 3:41 to play in the opening quarter. Wilson then gave the home team the lead after finding Kavaski Ervin for 13 yards with seconds to play in the first 15-minute session.
 
NSU sophomore quarterback Thor Long found senior fullback Nick Whitlow over the middle for a 19-yard strike early in the second to tie the game at 14-14, but Emporia State took the lead for good when Wilson hit Ervin for 60 yards just a minute later.
 
Senior kicker Drew Patton connected on a 44-yard field goal late in the second to push the scoreline to 21-17 in favor of the Hornets at intermission.
               
Eli Kuhns hit a 41 yarder out of the break for Emporia State, and Wilson TD passes to Ray Ray Davis (18 yards) and Willis (39 yards) seemingly put the game out of reach for Northeastern State.
 
Antonio Brown added a sixth ESU touchdown midway through the final quarter, and Dixon ended the scoring with a 21-yard TD run late in the contest after the game was well decided.
 
Northeastern State did not turn the ball over for the first time since August 27, 2011 (25 games), and the visitors won the turnover battle for the second-straight season over the Hornets.
 
NSU has now won the turnover battle in two consecutive games, marking the first such occurrence since Oct. 22/29, 2011.
 
Long finished 18 of 30 for a career high 218 yards passing. True freshman receiver Ray Dobbs registered a career-high four catches for 48 yards. The RiverHawks had 10 different players record a catch, which was the first time since Sept. 24, 2011, that at least 10 members of the squad finished with at least one reception.
 
Senior safety Victor Johnson and junior linebacker Eddie General led the defense with nine tackles apiece. Junior linebacker Donnie Fuston recorded NSU's first sack of the season, while senior cornerback Vernon Jones picked off Wilson. The interception was the first of the season for the ESU signal caller.
 
Jones moved into solo first for career interceptions at Northeastern State during the modern era (since 1996). His 10th-career pick broke a tie with former NSU great Nate Robinson (2010-11).
 
Emporia State entered the game 6-for-6 on fourth-down conversions, but the home team failed on both attempts against the RiverHawks.
 
Northeastern State will now entertain No. 3 Northwest Missouri State at 2 p.m. Oct. 5 at Doc Wadley Stadium. The game will be part of NSU's Homecoming festivities.
 
SCORING SUMMARY

Qtr.	Time	Team	Play	Score
1	12:25	NSU	Terrance Dixon 26 run (Drew Patton kick)	0-7
	3:41	ESU	Brent Wilson 52 pass to Austin Willis (Eli Kuhns kick)	7-7
	0:02	ESU	Wilson 13 pass to Kavaski Ervin (Kuhns kick)	14-7
2	11:47	NSU	Thor Long 19 pass to Nick Whitlow (Patton kick)	14-14
	10:41	ESU	Wilson 60 pass to Ervin (Kuhns kick)	21-14
	4:14	NSU	Patton 44 FG	21-17
3	12:20	ESU	Kuhns 41 FG	24-17
	4:45	ESU	Wilson 18 pass to Ray Ray Davis (Kuhns kick)	31-17
4	14:22	ESU	Wilson 39 pass to Willis (Kuhns kick)	38-17
	6:26	ESU	Antonio Brown 3 run (Kuhns kick)	45-17
	3:24	NSU	Dixon 21 run (Patton kick)	45-24

 
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