CANYON, Texas – The West Texas A&M Buffaloes took a two-game win streak into Monmouth, Oregon but they came away empty-handed as Western Oregon registered a 20-14 Lone Star Conference victory at McArthur Field on Saturday afternoon.
 
The teams traded possessions early before the Wolves took a 7-0 lead on an Andrew Vallardes 69-yard scamper with 1:53 left in the first quarter for the 7-0 lead. The Buffs cut into the lead in the second quarter as Gage Urias connected from 22 yards out to make it 7-3 with 2:29 left in the half. 
 
The WT defense would make a stop and turn the punt into points as the Buffs moved 62 yards on eight plays with a 35-yard field goal by Urias sending the teams into the locker room with WOU leading 7-6.
 
The Wolves added to their lead on their first drive of the second half as they marched 64 plays on 15 yards capped off by a Danny Cossette 28-yard field goal for the 10-6 lead. WT would answer as Jarrod Compton found the endzone from four yards out to take the 13-10 lead.
 
The teams would trade possessions again before the Wolves took advantage of a 31-yard punt return by Joey Sinclair that setup a Cossette 24-yard field goal to tie the game at 13-13. The Buffs would miss a 41-yard field goal attempt on their next drive as the Wolves turned that into points, Gannon Winker called his own number from a yard out as the Wolves took a 20-13 lead with 56 seconds left.
 
WT wouldn't go down without a fight as they advanced the ball past midfield before a pick-six by Sinclair sealed the 27-13 victory.
 
Nick Gerber finished the afternoon completing 32-of-51 passes for 242 yards and a pair of interceptions. Brian Okoye led the WT backfield with 12 carries for 65 yards while Noah Bogardus caught six passes for 81 yards. Defensively, Ty Dillon and Carson Otworth registered eight tackles each with Otworth also registering an interception.
 
BY THE NUMBERS
2 – Victories in the series by WOU the last two seasons in Monmouth
6.5 – Yards per carry on the ground by Western Oregon
32:03 – Time of possession by the Buffaloes on Saturday
 
COMING UP
The Buffs return home next weekend as they host the Central Washington Wildcats in Lone Star Conference action with kickoff set for 7 p.m. at Bain-Schaeffer Buffalo Stadium in Canyon.