Football Falls in Trip to Virginia

by Nathan Baliva

MONMOUTH, Ill. (09/12/2026) — The Monmouth College football team fell 31-19 to Hampden-Sydney on Saturday in their first-ever visit to Virginia. The Scots (0-2) start Midwest Conference play next Saturday at Cornell.

The Monmouth defense forced a 3-and-out on the first possession of the game. Starting on their own 33, the Scots moved the ball on the ground as Nate Wrublik (Lemont, Illinois) ran for two first downs. After converting a 4th and 2, Silas Braun (Monmouth, Illinois) hit Chase Newman (Morrison, Illinois) for a 45-yard touchdown with 11:15 to play in the quarter. Aiden Sensabaugh (East Moline, Illinois) made the extra point for a 7-0 lead.

The Tigers scored the next 31 points. Monmouth turned the ball over on downs after stopping the Tigers second drive. Hampden-Sydney cashed in with a 6-play, 60-yard drive to tie the game. Braun hit Mason Emin (Sterling, Illinois) for a first down but Monmouth was forced to punt. The Tigers took a 14-7 lead at the end of the first quarter after a 4-play, 58-yard drive.

Early in the second quarter, HS intercepted a Braun pass and started deep in their own territory. The moved the ball inside the Monmouth red zone and kicked a field goal for a 17-7 lead. Hudson Ault (Fairbury, Illinois) ran for 11 but the Scots were forced to punt. The Tigers went 65 yards in five plays to lead 24-7. The Scots moved the ball to midfield but another interception ended the drive. The Monmouth defense stopped the Tigers on fourth down but the half ended with HS leading 24-7.

Monmouth went backwards to start the second half with a holding penalty and run for a loss. The Tigers returned the punt to the Monmouth 39 and despite a tackle for loss by Kaden Foglesong (Ipava, Illinois), they scored on the fifth play for a 31-7 lead.

Wrublik ran for eight yards and Braun hit Da'Von Patterson (Ponte Vedre, Florida) for eight yards and a first down. Long passes to Newman and Emin moved the chains and the Scots got inside the red zone. However, an incomplete pass on 4th and 4 ended the drive. A roughing the kicker penalty let the Tigers run more time off the clock before Kevin Soivilien (Miami, Florida) intercepted a pass and returned it to the 27. Braun hit Emin on the next play for a touchdown but the 2-point conversion failed.

Trailing 31-13, the Scots forced a punt early in the fourth quarter. Taking over on their own seven with 10:19 to play the Scots picked up first downs with passes to Emin and Newman. Braun hit Newman for a 30-yard touchdown but the 2-point conversion again came up short with 7:54 to play.

Monmouth got a stop as Carson Strating (Morrison, Illinois) broke up a third down pass. Three penalties by the Tigers each gave Monmouth first downs as the ball moved to midfield. An interception at the goal line ended the drive with a touchback and the Tigers ran out the clock,

Braun completed 16-of-31 passes for 255 yards with three touchdowns and three interceptions. Wrublik ran 25 times for 98 yards and Ault ran for 30 yards. Newman caught six passes for 138 yards and two touchdowns while Emin caught five balls for 76 yards and a score.

Tristan Brown (Arlington, Texas) led the Scots with 13 tackles in his first career start. Gavin Carpenter (Coal City, Illinois) added nine tackles while Soivilien had seven. Carpenter, Strating and Dominic Ricconi (El Paso, Illinois) each had a tackle for a loss. Dame Thioubou (Monmouth, Illinois) and Jeremiah Hardnett (O'Fallon, Illinois) each had a sack.

MONMOUTH MOMENTS: With two touchdown catches for the second straight game, Newman has 18 career touchdown receptions, tied with Jackson Bergren (2021-24) for 10th in Monmouth history ... He has six 100+ yard games and four career multi-touchdown games ... The Scots were 5-for-11 on third down and held HS to 1-for-10 ... The Tigers outgained Monmouth 233-140 on the ground ... Both teams had 10 penalties ... The Scots are 0-2 for the first time since 2019 when they lost to Wheaton and Wartburg to start the season before winning the next seven games and qualifying for the NCAA Playoffs as MWC champions ... Saturday was Monmouth's first ever game in Virginia and the first-ever matchup with Hampden-Sydney ... The Tigers will come to Monmouth next September ... The Scots open MWC play at Cornell with a 1 p.m. kickoff next Saturday ... The next home game is Saturday, September 26 at 1 p.m. against Ripon.