LEBANON, Ill. - Tough, close, heartbreaking losses are becoming a way of life for University of St. Francis football this season. The Saints dropped their third game by four points or less and their second against ranked opposition in the last two Saturdays with a 24-20 setback at NAIA No. 13 McKendree University.

Twice the Saints (1-6, 1-3) battled from behind to take a fourth-quarter lead on the Mid-States Football Association/Midwest League leaders only to see McKendree (5-1, 3-0) return the favor with comeback drives of its own.

"We played toe-to-toe today with a very fine football team but there are no moral victories," said fifth-year USF head coach Mike Uremovich. "We need to find a way to win these close games and we won't stop working until we find it.

"It's a four-quarter football game," continued Uremovich. " We found out last week (in a 31-30 home loss to No. 22 St. Ambrose when the Saints missed a tying extra point with no time left in regulation) that you have to play the entire 60 minutes. Unfortunately, we have played outstanding in 8 to 12-minute stretches at times throughout games, but to compete at this level - in our tough conference - you have to compete for all four quarters."

Uremovich liked what he saw offensively, especially in the second half.

"It was a good effort and it came against McKendree, a good team with a great defense. But we were just not good enough to finish the job and get the win."

USF opened the scoring midway through the first quarter when freshman placekicker Patrick Wright (Providence Catholic H.S./Lemont, IL) nailed his first of two 42-yard field goals of the first half.

McKendree responded quickly with a touchdown on its next possession to take a 7-3 lead but Wright's second 42-yarder cut the lead to a single point at 7-6. A McKendree field goal made it 10-6 at halftime.

After picking up just 89 yards of offense in the opening half, USF and senior quarterback John Goolsby (Morris H.S./Morris, IL) got things in gear in the second half. Goolsby, who was on his way to setting school records for pass attempts (57), completions (36) and yards (375), hooked up with senior wide receiver Ponce Palmer (Decatur MacArthur H.S./Findlay, IL) for a 33-yard touchdown pass late in the third quarter that gave USF a 13-10 lead.

The Saints then got the ball back at their own 1-yard line after a perfect punt by McKendree with 14:50 left in the game. USF started what appeared to be a game-changing drive as the Saints moved the ball 93 yards all the way down to a first-and-goal at the Bearcats 6-yard line.

The McKendree defense stiffened, though, and forced a USF 24-yard field goal attempt that sailed wide left and kept the score at 13-10.

It didn't stay that way for long. Just two plays later, the Bearcats had moved the ball 80 yards for the go-ahead touchdown on a 49-yard run by Tommy Gayfield to make the score 17-13.

USF still had some fight - and some offense - left in it as the Saints answered with a 10-play, 92-yard scoring drive that was capped off with a spectacular 10-yard touchdown reception by senior tight end Andy Zurales (Lincoln-Way Central H.S./New Lenox, IL).

Again, McKendree responded and needed only four plays to cover 67 yards with what would be the winning touchdown drive. USF got one first down on its ensuing drive but was stopped on downs just across midfield and McKendree burned the clock and eluded the upset.

Goolsby's record-setting day was not the only statistical story for USF. Senior wide receiver Jason Fiske (Belvidere H.S./Loves Park, IL) caught 14 of Goolsby's passes for 161 yards. Senior receiver Mike Anthony (Sandburg H.S./Orland Park, IL) enjoyed his best career day with 11 catches for 58 yards. Freshman tailback Connor Krisch (Joliet Catholic Academy/Plainfield, IL) notched 74 rushing yards on 18 attempts to lead the ground effort for the Saints.

Junior defensive back Guy Dragonetti (Catholic Memorial H.S./Waukesha, WI) and senior linebacker Dan Heimerdinger (Richards H.S./Oak Lawn, IL) topped the Saints defensively with 8 tackles apiece and Heimerdinger added a fumble recovery.

The Saints are off next week and return to action on Oct. 24 when they play host to Olivet Nazarene at 6 p.m. at Memorial Stadium.