MONMOUTH, Ore. – Despite scoring four touchdowns in their first seven possessions, Western Oregon University fell to No. 22-ranked Humboldt State, 49-48 in overtime, Saturday in the Wolves' home opener in front of 1,550 fans.
 
Today's game is the first overtime game in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference since South Dakota Mines defeated Dixie State, 41-40, on November 1, 2014.
 
With today's result, Western Oregon falls to 1-3 overall and 0-2 in GNAC play. Meanwhile, Humboldt State improves to 3-0 on the season with all three contests involving GNAC opponents.
 
For Western Oregon, senior Paul Revis caught 15 passes for 176 yards and scored a pair of touchdowns, while sophomore Torreahno Sweet racked up 111 yards on 24 carries to go along with three touchdowns.
 
Senior Nick Duckworth ended the game 33-for-50 with 382 yards and four touchdowns en route to registering the third game of his career with four TDs. Duckworth has registered 10 touchdowns on the season, including back-to-back four-touchdown games.

"Our players played really hard out there. The offense continued to move the ball. Nick and Paul were huge and Torreahno had a career day," Ferguson said. "It's tough falling in overtime, but that is a really good team, they were able to open things up in the second half and took advantage of some missed tackles on our part."

Defensively, Tyler Johnson led the Wolves with a career and game-high 17 tackles to go along with an interception. Derek Parnell and Dominique Harrison also recorded interceptions for Western Oregon, while Bo Highburger recovered the game's only fumble.

 "Tyler Johnson had an outstanding day," Ferguson said. "He is one of the best players in coverage by a middle linebacker that we have had."
 
After Humboldt State took a 14-7 lead on John Todd's second touchdown of the first quarter, Western Oregon answered with three straight scores that included touchdowns by Kenny Portega, Revis, and Sweet resulting in a 28-14 halftime lead.
 
With 9:07 remaining in the third quarter, Sweet would score his third touchdown of the afternoon on a 1-yard run resulting in a 35-14 lead over the nationally-ranked Lumberjacks.
 
Humboldt State answered with three straight touchdowns that included a pair of scores by Ja'Quan Gardner and a game-tying pass from Robert Webber to Chase Krivashei that tied the game at 35-35 with 12:13 left in the game.
 
Western Oregon answered with a nine-play, 75-yard drive that lasted over four minutes and concluded with a 12-yard pass from Duckworth to senior Zack Suarez to put the Wolves in front 42-35 with 7:37 remaining on the clock.
 
Humboldt State tied the game for the fourth time on a 33-yard touchdown pass from Webber to Todd, as the Lumberjacks knotted the game at 42-all with 1:40 left in regulation.
 
During the final drive of regulation, Duckworth connected with sophomore Blaise Manabe on a 16-yard reception that took the Wolves down to the HSU 37 yard line. Western Oregon did not get any closer and attempted a potential game-winning 57 yard field goal that fell short resulting in the Wolves' first overtime game since a 21-14 loss at the hands of Central Washington on September 15, 2012.
 
In the first possession of overtime, Humboldt State recorded all of its yards on the ground thanks to five rushes by Gardner that concluded with a three-yard score to put the Lumberjacks in front by seven points (49-42).
 
In Western Oregon's turn in overtime saw Duckworth connect with Revis on a score from 30-yards out that pulled the Wolves within a single point (49-48). Unfortunately the point after attempt by junior Adrian Saldana sailed wide left to end the game.
 
Webber concluded the day 17-for-27 for 334 yards with five touchdowns, while Gardner registered 176 yards on 25 carries with a pair of touchdowns. Todd would lead all receivers with a game-high 225 yards on seven catches with three touchdowns that included scores of 90, 30 and 33 yards.
 
Defensively, Humboldt State was led by Edwin Campbell with 12 tackles to go along with a 10-tackle performance by James Benedix.
 
Western Oregon continues GNAC play on Saturday, September 30, against Azusa Pacific beginning at 6 p.m. in Glendora, California.

"Humboldt has an experience team and they got the edge on us today," Ferguson said. "Azusa (Pacific) it will be the same. Our young guys are getting better with some added playing time. We know we will have our hands full and we will have to keep getting better."