Using a familiar formula from the last few weeks - a barrage of big plays - Lindenwood successfully spoiled Central Methodist's Homecoming afternoon on Saturday in Fayette, Mo., winning an important HAAC road game, 34-21.

This was a close game, however, as the fired-up Eagles answered each Lion big play with a scoring drive on a beautiful day in central Missouri. Lindenwood opened the scoring in the first quarter, on a 28-yd. TD pass from sophomore QB Ben Kisner to freshman TE Josh Davis, who was making his first collegiate start. That opening salvo was answered by CMU with an 11-play, 79-yd. drive which culminated in a 24-yd. scoring pass from Joey Murillo to KevIn Clipp ... on third-and-20.

"They did a good job converting third down situations all day, and that one, in particular, was tough to take," said Lion head coach Patrick Ross, who saw his career record move to 36-16 with the win. "We'll have to do a better job next week against Valley of getting them off the field on third down."

The Lions' rapidly developing quick strike ability showed again after Clipp's score, as lightning-fast freshman tailback McCray Harris returned the ensuing kickoff 54 yards to the CMU 40. On the first play from scrimmage, Harris struck again, coming out of the backfield to grab a 40-yd. scoring pass from Kisner, and the Lions were right back on top, 14-7, midway through the second quarter.

The Lions couldn't quite get that lead to halftime, though, as CMU put together a four-play 63-yd. blitz right before the intermission, scoring with 20 seconds left on a one-yd. dive by junior Ryan Huckaby.

"We knew we'd be in a game down there, because Coach Masonholder's teams play good defense," said Ross. "They were more effective on offense than what we anticipated, so it was anyone's game at halftime."

After the Eagles' first possession of the second half ended in a three-and-out, that quick strike LU offense landed another big blow, this one coming on a one-play, 55-yd. drive on the legs of junior tailback Hakeem Abdullah.

Taking a simple counter play to the right, Abdullah followed big blocks by Davis, junior tackle Dominic Edwards and freshman flanker Trevan Hombs up the right sideline, then cut back across the field to complete the TD run. Averaging 7.2 yards per carry in his first season as a Lion, Abdullah is quickly making a name for himself in the Heart.

"We've seen some good backs this season, " said Ross. "But I don't know that we'd trade Dullah or McCray for any of them. Hakeem has gotten better each week, and Harris is a big play waiting to happen. Their best football for us is ahead of them."

Masonholder's team answered again following Abdullah's long strike, putting together a 12-play, 82-yd. drive which ended on another Murillo-to-Clipp TD pass, making it 21-21 with 7:25 left in the third quarter. That was the end of the scoring for CMU, though, as the Lion defense reached down - behind the inspired play of senior DT David Gladney and sophomore LB Logen Wright - to pitch a shutout over the game's final 22 minutes.

Freshman place kicker Haley Farrell nailed a 40-yd. field goal on LU's next possession, giving the Lions a 24-21 lead with 4:03 left in the third. The teams then traded defensive stops, before the Eagles mounted a final push into Lindenwood territory early in the fourth quarter - when that big play button got pushed again for the Lions.

This time it was Wright, the Lions' 6'3, 224-lb. sophomore from tiny New Hampton, Mo., who picked off a Murillo pass at the LU 18, flashed back to his days as a prep running back, and bolted 82 yards up the right sideline for a TD which put the Lions ahead 31-21.

"Logen has been getting better and better every week, to the point where he and Gladney are now the unquestioned leaders of our defense," said Ross. "To say that interception return was a big play would be an understatement."

The Eagles went three-and-out again on their ensuing possession, and a nine-play, 59-yd. drive by the Lions then ran out most of the remaining clock, with Farrell's second field goal of the game, a 32-yarder, making it 34-21with two minutes remaining.

"You have to give credit to Central Methodist, because they played really well," said Ross of the Eagles. "We were glad to get out of there with our first road win of the year, so we can officially start talking about taking our shot at Missouri Valley."

The Lions will tee it up against the unbeaten, 8th-ranked Vikings next Saturday in Saint Charles, with a 1:30 Homecoming kickoff.