BETHANY, W.Va. (Oct. 10, 2009) – There were no dramatic overtimes or last minute heroics in the cards for the Thiel College football team on Saturday, as the Bethany Bison jumped out to a quick lead and never looked back, en route to a, 42-21, victory.

The loss dropped the Tomcats to 2-4 overall, including a 1-3 mark in the Presidents' Athletic Conference. Bethany upped its record to 2-3, and 1-2 in PAC play.

The Bison jumped out to a, 21-0, lead before Thiel scored its first points of the game on a second-quarter touchdown run by Ross Gargano (Sharon, Pa./Kennedy Catholic) (Sharon, Pa./Kennedy Catholic).

Bethany would answer before the end of the half, to push the score to 28-7.

The Bison opened the second half by posting another score on a six-yard Chad Smith-to-Eric Walker hookup. Thiel would respond less than a minute later on a four-yard Dan Hess (Apollo, Pa./Kiski Area) (Apollo, Pa./Kiski Area) scoring scamper. The John Madeline (Hubbard, Ohio/Hubbard) (Hubbard, Ohio/Hubbard) PAT made the score 35-14.

Bethany and Thiel traded touchdowns to close out the game's scoring.

Thiel's final score – a one-yard Gargano run – came with 9:20 to go in the game.

Saturday's game was the first of the season in which Thiel did not score a touchdown through the air.

Tomcat quarterback Willie Bova (Port Allegany, Pa./Port Allegany) (Port Allegany, Pa./Port Allegany) finished the game completing 27 of 40 passes for 314 yards and two interceptions.   Bova was also the team's leading rusher, taking off nine times for 29 yards.

Brendan Taylor (Girard, Pa./Girard) (Girard, Pa./Girard) was Thiel's leading receiver, hauling in 15 passes for 183 yards.

Bethany out-gained the Tomcats 583-to-420 overall, and held a 37:45-to-22:15 advantage in time of possession.

Smith completed 37-of-48 passes for 373 yards and two scores for the Bison.

Thiel returns to action in two weeks – on Oct. 24 – when they welcome Thomas More for a 1:30 p.m. contest.