The day started good for the Lindenwood football team, but Missouri Western came-from-behind for a 34-14 victory over the Lions on Saturday in St. Joseph, Mo.
 
The Lions opened the game with the ball and they went on a 10-play, 80-yard drive to go up 7-0. On the second play of the game, Jesse Scroggins connected with DeSean Warren for 31 yards to get into Missouri Western territory. The Lions picked up a third-down conversion and a fourth-down conversion after that, and scored on a 19-yard run by Lavorrrie Johnson.
 
After trading punts, Missouri Western got on the scoreboard with a field goal. That was the final scoring of the first quarter as the Lions led 7-3.
 
The Lions scored again midway through the second quarter on another long drive, this one 75 yards. The big play was a fourth-and-two completion by Scroggins to Ahamd Springer which was good for 16 yards. Johnson had 37 rushing yards on the drive, including a 10-yard rush that got the ball to the one-yard line. Scroggins finished the drive with a one-yard run.
 
Missouri Western had one more scoring drive in the half, scoring a field goal on an untimed down heading into the break. Lindenwood went into halftime with a 14-6 advantage.
 
The turning point of the game came on Lindenwood's first drive of the second half. After getting good field position, the Lions faced third-and-long when their pass was intercepted. One play later, the Griffons were in the endzone on a 57-yard touchdown pass play.
 
That set the tone for the second half in which the Griffons' defense took over the game. Missouri Western held the Lions to just 34 yards in the final two quarters, and Lindenwood picked up just three first downs.
 
Missouri Western's offense gave the Griffons the lead at 18-14 with a touchdown at the 2:36 mark of the third quarter, sparked by another passing play over 50 yards. The defense then scored for Missouri Western on a 44-yard fumble recovery return to go up 25-14 after three quarters. The Griffons added nine more points in the final quarter for the final 20-point margin of victory.
 
Connor Harris led the team with 15 tackles, followed by Wesley Thomas and Deshaun Lawson with nine apiece. Dante Lewis had two pass breakups in the contest. Offensively, Johnson finished with 62 rushing yards, Scroggins had 131 passing yards, and Warren had 65 receiving yards.
 
Game Notes: Lindenwood falls to 1-3 on the season and in the MIAA … Missouri Western improves to 3-1 on the year and 3-1 in the MIAA … the Lions are now 0-2 all-time against the Griffons … Lindenwood lost the turnover battle 2-0, and Missouri Western scored 13 points off those turnovers … Connor Harris recorded his ninth straight double-figure tackle game, and the 21st of his career … Wesley Thomas and Deshaun Lawson both set career-highs for tackles … Steven Pace recorded his 100th tackle of his career … Jaron Alexander returned kickoffs for the first time since 2013 and had 82 kickoff return yards on three returns … Lindenwood returns to action next Saturday with a 2:37 p.m. game at home against Emporia State.