OWENSBORO, Ky. -- Senior Dauson Dales (Defiance, Ohio) broke the all-time program tackle record and the Ohio Dominican football team outlasted Kentucky Wesleyan in a wild road win, 32-30, including two blocked kicks in the final 30 seconds on Saturday afternoon. 

The Panthers, now 4-1 on the season, win their fourth Great Midwest opener in five years of being in the conference. Ohio Dominican has also run its active road winning streak to nine games, which is inside the top three active runs in Division II. Kentucky Wesleyan falls to 2-3 overall and 0-1 in G-MAC play.  

DALES BREAKES TACKLE RECORD 

• On a tackle in the third quarter, Dales recorded his fifth stop of the game, which gave the senior 300 for his career. 

• Dales breaks his former teammate Camren Moore's all-time ODU tackle record of 299.  

• The linebacker becomes the first player in program history, now in its 18th season, to surpass 300 career tackles. 

• Through five weeks this season, Dales now has a team-high 48 tackles this fall and 302 for his career, which is also a G-MAC career record.  

HOW IT HAPPENED 

• Ohio Dominican built a 17-point advantage, 20-3, after two passing and one rushing touchdown from Evan Ernst (Mason, Ohio). 

• The Purple Panthers were able to rally, scoring 21 straight points to lead 24-20 with seven minutes remaining. KWC's scoring run was highlighted by touchdown drives to end the first half and open the second half. 

• ODU responded on its next possession, as a seven-yard touchdown pass from Ernst to Colby Rider (Barren Springs, Va.) capped a seven-play, 80-yard drive to put the Panthers back in front, 27-24, with 4:04 remaining.

• Aarin Smoot-Baker (Columbus, Ohio) forced a fumble on the next KWC play from scrimmage and Desdamon Lake (Youngstown, Ohio) recovered, which set up a 40-yard field goal from Jed Quackenbush (Newark, Ohio). ODU led 30-24 with 2:28 showing on the fourth quarter clock.  

• The Purple Panthers responded with a nine-play, 75-yard scoring drive, capped with a six-yard touchdown run to tie the game at 30-30 with 22 seconds to play. 

• With KWC needing only the extra-point to take a lead in the final 30 seconds, behind a strong defensive line push led by Chance Canady (Columbus, Ohio), Lake was able to fire up the middle and block the kick attempt. With the ball free, Ashton Gilkey (Westerville, Ohio) scooped up possession and ran 93 yards to the opposite end zone and give ODU a 32-30 lead. 

• KWC would not go away though, as the Purple Panthers pooched an onside kick over the front receiving line of ODU and recovered possession on the ODU 31-yard line.  

• The Purple Panthers had a 42-yard field goal attempt on the final play of the game, but Canady was able to get home and block the attempt to secure the victory for the Black & Gold.  

BOX SCORE NOTES 

• Ernst accounted for all four ODU touchdowns, tossing three and rushing the first score of the game in from six yards out. The senior completed 19-of-32 passes for 236 yards and rushed seven times for a season-high 37 yards.  

• David Turner (Fort Wayne, Ind.) was the favorite target, catrching 9-of-15 targets for 128 yards. Turner caught a 50-yard touchdown pass in the first half to put the Panthers in front 20-3. 

• Austin Davis (Wooster, Ohio) posted three receptions for 63 yards, including a 10-yard touchdown in the second quarter.  

• Ohio Dominican also had its first 100-yard rushing performance in 11 games (at Hillsdale, Nov. 16, 2019), as Frederick Pitts V (Huber Heights, Ohio) toted the rock 21 times for 118 yards. Pitts averaged 5.6 yards per rush and had a long attmept of 30 yards.  

• Overall, ODU enjoyed a 433-293 advantage in total offense. The Panthers though, were plauged by three turnovers and 12 penalties for 117 yards, the team's first 100-yard penalty game since Aug. 30, 2018.  

• Defensively, Dales led the team with his seven tackles. 

• Gilkey, Lake and Smoot-Baker each produced five tackles.  

UP NEXT 

• Ohio Dominican concludes a stretch of four consecutive road games on Saturday, Oct. 9.  

• The Panthers will travel to face the newest G-MAC member, Ashland, with a 7 p.m. kickoff. 

Contact: Tyler Jester 

jestert@ohiodominican.edu