TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Indiana State scored nine points in the fourth quarter to secure a 19-7 victory over Eastern Kentucky Saturday at Memorial Stadium. The Sycamore defense was stout throughout, holding the Colonels to 248 total yards on offense and just 4-of-15 on third down.
 
The Sycamores (1-2) continued to punish the opposing front seven, rushing for over 200 yards for the third consecutive game. ISU finished the game with 215 yards led by sophomore Peterson Kerlegrand who reeled off his second consecutive 100-plus rushing game with 132 yards and a touchdown. He touched the ball 23 times for a 5.7 yards per carry average.
 
Quarterback Ryan Boyle added 46 yards while Toledo transfer Nick Sims rushed for 33 on six carries. Chris Childers found the endzone for the third time this season when he punched the ball across in the second quarter on a two-yard rush.
 
Naples, Florida native Jerry Nunez tied the Indiana State program record with his 41st and 42nd career field goals. He put the Sycamores on top midway through the first quarter with a 42-yard field goal before extending ISU's lead in the early seconds of the fourth quarter to 13-7 with a 31 yarder.
 
It wasn't until the third quarter that Eastern Kentucky (1-2) was able to crack the scoring column after driving the ball 80 yards on 15 plays over a six-minute scoring drive. Alonzo Booth punched it in for the Colonels from two yards out to cap off the scoring drive.
 
Kerlegrand, a Fort Wayne, Indiana native, would ice the game on a nine-yard rushing touchdown with 2:29 left to play. The Sycamores converted three third-down plays during the driving, including a third and 16 when Boyle found Dante Jones II for 19 yards to extend the drive. Sims also picked up a season long 18-yard rushing play in the drive.
 
The Sycamores finished with 348 yards of total offense. ISU rushed for 215 yards while Boyle threw for 133 yards on 11-of-18 passing.
 
Dante Hendrix led ISU with three receptions for 68 yards, including a 29-yard catch. Kerlegrand added three receptions from his running back spot.
 
The Indiana State defense was rock solid for much of the game led by Jonas Griffith and Clayton Glasco who finished with 16 and 12 tackles, respectively. The Sycamores did not allow EKU to convert a third down until the second quarter and forced the Colonels to punt six times.
 
EKU finished the day 4-of-15 on third down and 2-of-5 on fourth downs while ISU was 7-of-14 on third down. The Sycamores finished the day harassing EKU's Conor Blount for four sacks, forcing two fumbles and six tackles-for-loss.
 
Inoke Moala finished with eight tackles, two sacks and two forced fumbles.
 
Daryl McCleskey Jr. led EKU with 103 yards on the ground on 13 carries. Booth finished with 33 yards rushing while Blount picked up 28 yards on the ground.
 
Ben Bascom had nine tackles for the Colonels while Corey Glass added eight.
 
The Sycamores will wrap up a three week homestand next weekend when regional rival Eastern Illinois comes to town. Kickoff is slated for 1 p.m. from Memorial Stadium.
 
For the latest information on the Sycamore Football team, make sure to check out GoSycamores.com. You can also find the team on social media including Facebook and Twitter.