LA GRANDE, Ore. - Eastern Oregon University fell to the Rocky Mountain College Battlin' Bears on Saturday afternoon in Billings, Montana. In a defensive battle that saw eight interceptions between the two teams, Rocky lead the whole way winning 28-6. With the loss EOU falls to 0-7 on the year and Rocky improves to 5-1.
 
The game started off with the defense trading shots as a Rocky interception ended the Mounties' first drive. EOU didn't have to wait long as on the next play Josh Mendoza picked off Rocky's George Tribble to give the Mountaineers another shot. Unable to get anything going the Mounties went three and out. The Battlin' Bears found the endzone on the ensuing drive putting together a nine-play, 85-yard drive to take the first lead of the game, 7-0.
 
Another Mendoza interception early in the second quarter lead to Eastern's first score of the day. Mendoza jumped a Tribble pass in Rocky territory for his second interception of the day. After three unsuccessful attempts to push deeper into Rocky's side of the field, an Ethan Cutler field goal from 32 yards out put the Mounties on the board making it 7-3.
 
On the following drive Rocky Mountain found the endzone once again thanks to another lengthy drive that spanned nearly three minutes over eight plays. An eight-yard Zaire Wilcox run capped off the 73-yard drive and wrapped up scoring in the first half as Rocky extended their lead, 14-3.
 
Early in the third quarter pass defense continued to be a strong suit for both sides as they exchanged interceptions on three consecutive drives. Rocky Mountain College's Prince Johnson forced the first turnover of the half with an interception off Tanner Sweek. Three plays later Josh Mendoza completed a hat trick on the day intercepting another Trible pass inside of EOU's own five-yard line for his third of the day. With their backs against the wall a Sweek pass attempt to his right was jumped by Jayden Fletcher and taken to the house to make it 21-3.
 
A drive later Eastern cut into the Battlin' Bear lead with another Cutler field goal from 35 yards out. The kick marked the final points of the third quarter making it 21-6 after three.
 
One more touchdown was added to Rocky Mountain's lead in the fourth quarter. A 14-play, 74-yard RMC drive was capped off with a short 2-yard run punched in by Tribble. The final eight minutes of the game went scoreless as Rocky took down the Mounties 28-6.
 
Eastern Oregon University will get a week of conference play off and return to action for their annual homecoming game on Oct. 22. The Mountaineers will look for their first win of the season taking on the only other winless team in the Frontier Conference, Montana State University Northern.  
BY THE NUMBERS

• Rocky edged out the Mountaineers in forced turnovers with 5 to EOU's 3
• All 8 turnovers in the game were interceptions
• Interceptions came in bunches as 7 of 8 happened on consecutive drives

 
STANDOUT MOUNTAINEER PERFORMANCES

• Josh Mendoza: 3 INT, 1 PBU, 1 TFL
• Solo Taylor: 10 TKL

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