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ST. JOSEPH, Mo. – The Northeastern State football team lost 30-0 to Missouri Western State University Saturday evening at Spratt Memorial Stadium.
 
The RiverHawks (0-3, 0-3 MIAA) suffered their second shutout defeat this season, while the Griffons (2-1, 2-1 MIAA) registered their first clean sheet since Sept. 6, 2012.
 
Counting turnovers on downs, Northeastern State gave the ball up seven times. Missouri Western never committed a turnover.
 
Redshirt freshman running back Derrick Moore earned his first-career start and led NSU with 50 rushing yards on 16 attempts. Sophomore quarterback Kevin Pantastico finished 15 of 34 for 185 yards passing and three interceptions. He has now thrown seven interceptions through the first three games this season.
 
Juniors Garrett Powell and Prince McJunkins both had four receptions for the visitors for a combined total of 122 yards. Sophomore defensive back Steffon Herd led NSU with nine tackles.
 
Skyler Windmiller and T.J. LaFaver split time in the backfield for the Griffons. They combined to finish 12-of-24 passing for 124 yards. Raphael Spencer finished with 101 yards rushing and two touchdowns on 19 carries.
 
Northeastern State held Missouri Western to a John Schmiemeier field goal on the home side's opening possession. After a Spencer touchdown early in the second quarter pushed the score line to 10-0 in favor of MWSU, the RiverHawks found themselves driving late in the half.
 
With less than three minutes until intermission, NSU had the ball on Missouri Western's 16-yard line. Pantastico sailed a pass to Griffon Marc Harrison in the endzone, who proceeded to return the interception 100 yards. That gave MWSU a 17-0 lead heading into halftime, and the home team tacked on another 13 points for good measure in the final 30 minutes to secure the victory.
 
Northeastern State will return home to face Emporia State (1-2) at 6 p.m. Sept. 27.
 
SCORING SUMMARY

Qtr.	Time	Team	Play	Score
1	12:08	MWSU	John Schmiemeier 40 FG	3-0
2	9:45	MWSU	Raphael Spencer 12 run (Schmiemeier kick)	10-0
	2:48	MWSU	Marc Harrison 100 INT return (Schmiemeier kick)	17-0
3	6:49	MWSU	Spencer 17 run (Schmiemeier kick)	24-0
	0:48	MWSU	John Schmiemeier 34 FG	27-0
4	2:37	MWSU	Taylor Anderson 39 FG	30-0

 
NORTHEASTERN STATE COACH ROB ROBINSON
Opening statement…
"The game did not go the way we had it scripted. Offensively, we had some great shots and we just have to get the confidence to make the play. They're still scared to make a big play. The mindset isn't quite where we need it to be.  Bad things happen when you don't go hard and good things happen when you go hard. Their effort is there, it's not their effort, it's just mentally they have to learn to not be scared to make a play."
 
On positives to show the team…
"I think that we can take from it is throw the ball a little quicker on time. Don't be worried about if he's wide open when you throw it, trust your receiver that he's going to make that play, break at the right spot, and throw it on time. Then he'll be able to step into his throw more. (Kevin Pantastico) held it a little too long and threw it from his back foot because the pressure was getting there. I thought the O-line did a phenomenal job. We're down two starters. Our starting center and best O-lineman is out with a concussion (Ross Dvorak), and our starting right guard (Trevon Lawson) is out. I thought those guys did a phenomenal job. We had so many guys playing positions they don't normally play."
 
On the O-line stepping up in unfamiliar positions…
"They got thrown in the fire and (offensive coordinator Paul) Lane did a phenomenal job in getting them to believe in themselves and doing what they know they can do. They took from practice what we've been working on all week and took it to the game. We're going to see some miscues when you've got that many guys at different positions, but at the end of the day, they're college football players and they have to be ready to step up."
 
On how the defense played…
"Our defense was lights out. If we could have given them some sort of confidence on the offense, I think you would have seen them make more plays. They were playing with their backs against the walls. We were there to probably get a couple picks and it just comes down to confidence. They can't be afraid to mess up and go for the ball."
 
GAME NOTES

• The Griffons lead the all-time series 5-0 over the RiverHawks.
• Northeastern State started a brand new offensive line. It consisted of Jonathan Brown, Anthony Frazier, Chance Douthit, Devin Crisp, and Tyler Easter. Crisp and Frazier made their first career starts. Douthit made his second career start and his first at guard. Brown made his 16th career start, but his first at tackle. Easter made his third career start and his first at guard.
• James Renfrow made his team-leading 23rd career start.
• Derrick Moore, Carson Smallwood, Rey Martin, Marcus Cotton, and Peter Udoumoh made their first career starts. In total seven RiverHawks made their first-career start.
• This was the third year in a row that NSU has started the year 0-3.
• MWSU's Marc Harrison returned an interception for a touchdown in the second quarter. That was the first pick-6 since Oct. 26, 2013 against Central Missouri.
• Kevin Pantastico's three interceptions were the most by an NSU quarterback since Sept. 21, 2013. The four interceptions total by NSU quarterbacks were the most since the 2011 Mineral Water Bowl against Minnesota State-Mankato (Dec. 3, 2011).
• Raphael Spencer rushed for 101 yards and was the first 100-yard rusher allowed by the RiverHawks since UCO's Joshua Birmingham on Nov. 16, 2013.
• Steffon Herd led the RiverHawks with seven solo tackles (9 total).
• Northeastern State's defense held the Griffons to 322 total yards. This was the fewest yards NSU had allowed since giving up 281 to Missouri Southern Sept. 14, 2013.
• The RiverHawks rushed for 67 yards. It was the third game in a row that NSU had not reached the century mark. The last time that occurred was a three-game stretch from Sept. 2-18, 2010.
• NSU forced six punts which was the most since Sept. 14, 2013 against Missouri Southern.
• The RiverHawks had four drives that were eight plays or more.
• Northeastern State held the edge in time of possession, 31:25 to 28:35.
• NSU entered Missouri Western State territory seven times despite not being able to score.
• Counting turnovers on downs, the RiverHawks gave the ball away seven times.

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