DECATUR — The Millikin football team defeated North Park University 20-17 on Saturday October 24, 2015 at Frank M Lindsay field in Decatur.

The North Park Vikings took the ball to start the game. The Vikings wasted no time putting points on the board, scoring on their first drive. Millikin answered later on in the first quarter with a field goal by Chayce Volpert.

The Big Blue defense pinned the Vikings forcing them to punt from their own end zone. On the punt, Demetreeus Loper of Millikin drew a roughing the kicker penalty. With the score 3-7 and penalty flags in the air it seemed as if Millikin was showing us things we had already seen.

Troubles on the offensive side of the ball for Millikin have been caused by drive killing penalties in the last couple of games. Last week, the Big Blue were able to limit those penalty mistakes to five offensive penalties.

“The last few weeks we have been shooting ourselves in the foot and today we were able to overcome a first and twenty situation,” said Nicco Stepina about the Big Blue’s penalty issues.

As Millikin moves forward in conference play, currently 1-3, they will have to continue to decrease the amount of offensive penalties to increase their chances of scoring.

This crushing penalty gave the Vikings the ball back and allowed the continuation of the drive. Just a play later Daniel Beresky snatched a Viking ball from the air and gave Millikin possession inside Viking territory.

“I was surprised I came down with the ball because I don’t have hops,” Beresky said.

The teams seemed to be in a stale mate, punting back and forth until North Park capitalized on a size mismatch on a corner route in the end zone. Demetreeus Loper had no chance of defending the North Park receiver jumping over him to catch the ball. After Millikin received the ball they made quick work of driving down the field as Stepina threw a slant to Cameron Mammen across the middle for a Big Blue touchdown making the score 10-14.

As the quarter closed and halftime approached it seemed as if the defense could not keep up with the Viking offense. First down after first down the Vikings drove down the field. With their heels on the goal line the sluggish defense picked it up and forced the Vikings to settle for a field goal for the last score of the half, 10-17.

Coming out of the locker room Millikin knew it needed to play one of its best halves to take the come from behind victory. After several possession changes Nicco Stepina continued to make plays, including a crucial fourth and three conversion which led to a Cameron Mammen touchdown off a corner route several plays later, to tie the game 17-17. Fortunately North Park was not able to capitalize on two Nicco Stepina interceptions in the second half.

As the second half comes to a close Chayce Volpert broke the tie with what would be the final points of the game, 20-17. The two teams traded possessions several times before the Millikin defense came up with a big fourth down stop in the final minute to send the Vikings packing while the Millikin football team celebrated their first CCIW win improving their record to 2-5 (1-3).

“We probably had our best practices of the week this week and I expect to improve from that this week,” said Patrick Etherton head coach of the Millikin Big Blue. The Millikin Big Blue look to grab another conference win next week as they travel to Elmhurst.