Spire football faced a tough challenge on their home turf on Saturday, September 13th when they took on the Bethany College Swedes in a closely contested match up, ultimately losing with a final score of 41-49.

The game started off with both teams exchanging strong offensive plays. Saint Mary's quarterback, Erick Covington, connected with Delvin Lewis, Tyrell Nelson, Keith Hasker, and Michael Gazzana for touchdowns. The first half was particularly electrifying when Michael Gazzana caught a 12-yard pass for a touchdown with just 4 seconds remaining, bringing the halftime score to 31-21 in favor of Saint Mary.

The pivotal moment of the match came when Alexander Mendez showcased his explosive speed by returning a kickoff 90 yards for a touchdown. Despite these efforts, the Spires could not maintain their lead in the second half.

Additional standouts for the Spires included Zakary Rocha, who contributed with 61 kick return yards and recovered a crucial fumble, providing Saint Mary with several scoring opportunities. Erick Covington threw for 186 yards and 4 touchdowns in the game.

Looking forward, the Spires are set to face off against Avila University on Saturday, September 20^th where they seek their first win of the 2025 season.