By: Andrew Korba

HIRAM, Ohio -- The Hiram College football team scored the first 10 points of the game, but Wittenberg reeled off 27 unanswered points en route to a 27-10 victory over the Terriers on Saturday afternoon.

The Terriers are now 1-6 on the season and 1-5 in NCAC action, while the Tigers improve to 5-2, 4-2.

Junior quarterback Nic Paolo (Chardon, Ohio/Harding) completed 21 passes for 237 yards and a touchdown.

Junior Joshua Philander (Fort Myers, Fla./South Fort Myers) had three catches for a team leading 73 yards and a touchdown, while senior Nate Eaton (South Euclid, Ohio/Walnut Ridge) hauled in a team-high six catches for 54 yards. Senior Jaylen Dinard had five catches for 64 yards (Tampa, Fla./Paul R. Wharton).

Defensively, senior D.D. Fleetion (Youngstown, Ohio/Youngstown East) and junior Kyle Burchett (Fairport Harbor, Ohio/Harding) each had 10 tackles. 

Sophomore Ross Anderson (Memphis, Tenn./White Station) finished with five pass breakups and a interception. Junior Dan Hernandez (San Diego, Calif./Castle Park) also had an interception and finished with eight tackles.

The Hiram defense forced a three-and-out on Wittenberg's opening possession.

The Terriers wasted no time getting on the board, with Paolo hooking up with Philander on a 45-yard touchdown on Hiram's second offensive play for a 7-0 lead.

Hiram's defense would force another three-and-out on Wittenberg's next possession. The Terriers would go on a nine-play, 44-yard drive, capped off by a 33-yard field goal from sophomore Sam Conway (Wickliffe, Ohio/Wickliffe) to make the score 10-0.

From there, Wittenberg would answer with 17 second quarter points to take a 17-10 lead into the half.

Both team were unable to score in the third quarter.

In the fourth quarter, Wittenberg was able to stop Hiram and block the ensuing punt, leading to a 26-yard field goal, to make the score 20-10 with 13:34 to play.

The Tigers put the game away with a 15-yard touchdown strike from Zack Jenkins to Luke Bowling with 9:17 left to play.

Jenkins threw for 316 yards and three scores for Wittenberg and Corey Stump had 16 catches for 197 yards and two touchdowns.

The Tigers held a 453-283 advantage in total yards.

Wittenberg has dominated the series between the two schools, winning all 15 previous matchups by a combined score of 645-57. Today marked the first time in the series that the Terriers have reached double digits and held the Tigers to under 30 points.

Hiram will play again on October 31, when they travel to take on Allegheny (Pa.). Kickoff is set for 5 p.m.