SAN ANTONIO – The 25th-ranked University of the Incarnate Word football team clinched a convincing, 35-17 victory over Lamar University on Saturday night at Benson Stadium to improve to 5-2 overall and 4-1 in Southland Conference action.
 
Last year left a bad taste for the UIW Cardinals after their game-winning field goal attempt was blocked and returned for a touchdown as time expired. Eric Morris' team wanted this year's meeting with Lamar to be different, and it was. The Cardinals took an early advantage and never trailed, leading by as much as 28-7 at one point.
 
Jon Copeland led the Cardinals with a season-best 376 passing yards, including a long pass of 90 yards to Ameer King to set up a UIW touchdown. King had a career-high 124 receiving yards, while Lamont Johnson chipped in 97 receiving yards.
 
The UIW Cardinals scored first, using a six play, 75-yard drive to take a 7-0 advantage. First, Copeland connected with Johnson for a 34-yard pass to put UIW in Lamar territory. On the next play, Copeland found King with a short pass, which King took to the outside and into the end zone for a 26-yard touchdown.
 
Lamar answered quickly, drawing even with UIW. The visiting Cardinals went 75 yards in two plays that took just 41 seconds off the clock. The drive was capped by a Jordan Hoy 73-yard touchdown run.
 
UIW extended its advantage with 2:30 remaining in the first quarter. The Cardinals were forced to punt, but Mason Barnes recovered a fumble off the return to give UIW the ball at the LU 45.  Copeland then capped a seven-play, 45-yard drive with his second touchdown pass of the game, this time a 24-yarder to Brady Rogers to give the Cardinals a 14-7 advantage.
 
The Cardinals extended their lead to 20-7 with 9:09 left in the first half. The drive started with a pitch from Copeland to King and only took two plays. King ran the ball around the outside and took it 90 yards to the LU 2. From there, Keyondrick Philio scored his team-leading seventh rushing touchdown when he bulldozed two yards into the end zone.
 
UIW used another Lamar turnover to its advantage. After Jerick Pitre intercepted a LU pass, Copeland found Johnson in the end zone for a 32-yard score with eight seconds left on the clock. Copeland then hit Kam Williams for the two-point conversion to put the Cardinals ahead, 28-7, heading into the break.
 
Lamar cut into UIW's lead with 10:04 left in the third quarter, capping a five-play, 30-yard drive with a 10-yard touchdown run by Myles Wanza. The score left UIW with a 28-14 advantage.
 
UIW pushed its advantage out again, scoring on another explosive play with 6:59 left in the third quarter. Mark Sullivan caught a short pass from Copeland, evaded numerous defenders, and found his way to the outside before reaching the end zone and putting UIW up, 35-14.
 
Lamar added a field goal with 14:56 left in the game when Bailey Griffen hit a 28-yarder to cut UIW's lead to 35-17.
 
The Lamar Cardinals tried to cut into UIW's lead on several more occasions in the fourth quarter, but UIW's defense stood strong as it secured the 35-17 victory.
 
UIW head coach Eric Morris
Opening statement…
I'm proud of our guys. I just wish we found a way to put the game away a little bit quicker than we did. We talked about it at halftime. I think we're lacking in just having that killer instinct there at the end to really make it, 55, 56-10 there. We kept letting them linger around. We get inside the five two times on offense and don't get any points. There at the end, we had a great run call, Coach Shoemaker called a great run for us and we have a holding penalty. So just finding ways to clean little things up. We're really, really close to becoming a really complete football team. I thought our special teams, besides the surprise onside kick, were really good tonight. Kept them in check, punted it good, flipped the field.
 
On the team's performance…
Jon Copeland played his best game of the year. He was efficient, he saw the field really well. He was 24-35 and I can think of three passes that were drops. Defense got some turnovers, special teams got some turnovers. I thought it was a complete game and we fought until the end, so I'm happy about that.
 
Looking forward…
I think this team is close to being a championship-caliber team. I don' think we're there yet, but we're really close. So that's exciting. There's a lot of things that are like a rolodex in my head right now, things we could have capitalized on. We're getting close. Our coaches will continue to coach really hard. I love this group of coaches, I love this group of young men. I told them to enjoy tonight, and tomorrow we're coming back ready to work because we have big goals.