SAN ANTONIO – The University of the Incarnate Word football team picked up a dominant 45-20 win over the Houston Christian Huskies (HCU) during Saturday's Homecoming game.
 
Roy Alexander had a great game racking up three touchdowns with seven catches and 89 yards receiving. The defense came up big forcing three turnovers on the day.
 
First drives for both teams went about the same. A decent run back on the kickoff set the offense up with good field position and they were able to move the ball smoothly down the field, stalling at the end, and setting for a field goal (3-3).
 
On the next possession, the Cardinals were able to find the endzone in just two plays snagging their first lead of the game (10-3). When the UIW defense came back on the field AJ Tisdell caught an interception on the HCU 22-yard line.
 
The Cardinal defense stayed strong on the next drive as Tylan Foster forced a fumble that was recovered by Mason Chambers. The Huskies followed this up forcing a fumble of their own and keeping the game at a 10-3 score.
 
The score would remain the same and neither team would be able to put points on the board for the remainder of the first quarter and into the second. With around nine minutes left in the half, UIW was set up at the 47-yard line. Zach Calazada hit Roy Alexander on two consecutive plays with the second being in the endzone pushing the Cardinal lead to 17-3.
 
The scoring began to pick up for both squads as HCU added three more points.
 
On the next UIW drive, the Cardinals had 76 yards on the ground, 35 of them came from Calzada who punched it in from the two-yard line furthering the Cardinal lead to 24-6.
 
With 1:13 left before the half it looked like the Cardinals would head into the locker room with a solid lead. Dekalon had other plans as he ducked, tucked, and spun around the defense for a 38-yard gain with just seconds to go. On the next play, Calzada found Alexander wide open at the goal line giving the Cards 31 points at the half. This was not only the most points UIW has scored in a half this season but also their largest lead at the break this season.
 
To start the second half, the Cardinals worked the ball to midfield with short rushes and passes. On first-and-10 Calzada took a shot down the field to Jalen Walthall, perfectly placing the ball in the arms of the receiver 50 yards down the field (38-6).
 
At the end of the third quarter the Cardinals went on their longest drive of the game, 12 plays 78 yards, capping the series off with Calazada tossing the ball to Alexander and he found his way into the endzone for the third time in the game.
 
The Huskies scored twice in the fourth quarter, one on the ground and one through the air. It was not enough to catch the Cardinals as UIW walked away with a 45-20 win.
 
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