SAN ANTONIO (Interstat) — In a hard-fought Southland Conference contest that defied pregame projections, the Incarnate Word Cardinals held off a late surge from the Lamar Cardinals to secure a 24-17 victory on Saturday at Gayle and Tom Benson Stadium.

Entering the game as a slight favorite and with a high-scoring affair anticipated, Incarnate Word instead relied on a methodical offense and a stingy defense to build a commanding lead before surviving a frantic fourth-quarter rally from the visitors.

Incarnate Word quarterback EJ Colson, a junior from Byron, Ga., orchestrated the victory with a precise and efficient performance. He completed 21 of 28 passes for 161 yards and threw three touchdowns, connecting with three different receivers. His command of the offense was the driving force behind the home team’s success.

Lamar, which fell to 7-2 on the season, struggled to find its offensive rhythm for three quarters before mounting a desperate comeback attempt that ultimately fell short. Quarterback Robert Coleman, from Riverside, Calif., led the charge, completing 18 of 25 passes for 182 yards and a touchdown while also rushing for 4 yards on 10 attempts.

The game began as a defensive struggle, with both teams exchanging punts on their initial possessions. Incarnate Word broke through first, capping a 15-play, 75-yard drive that consumed over seven minutes of the first quarter. Colson found Jalen Walthall on a short pass that the receiver turned into a 4-yard touchdown, giving the home team a 7-0 lead.

Incarnate Word extended its advantage early in the second quarter with another sustained drive. Colson capped the 11-play, 56-yard march with an 8-yard touchdown pass to tight end Jackson Lowe, pushing the lead to 14-0.

Lamar finally got on the board just before halftime. A 34-yard completion from Coleman to tight end JaCorey Hyder keyed a drive that stalled at the Incarnate Word 24-yard line. Kicker Ben Woodard of Plano, Texas, converted a 41-yard field goal to cut the deficit to 14-3.

Just when it seemed Lamar had gained some momentum, Incarnate Word delivered a devastating blow before the half. With under a minute to play, Colson connected with Josh Lorick on a deep pass that resulted in a 45-yard touchdown, sending the home team into the locker room with a commanding 21-3 lead.

The third quarter saw the defenses reassert themselves. The only scoring came from Incarnate Word’s Will Faris of Dallas, Texas, who drilled a 39-yard field goal to extend the lead to 24-3 heading into the final period.

Facing a three-touchdown deficit, Lamar’s offense finally came to life in the fourth quarter. The visiting Cardinals engineered a 10-play, 75-yard drive, culminating in a 1-yard touchdown plunge by Joshua Robinson. The score, followed by Woodard’s extra point, narrowed the gap to 24-10.

After forcing an Incarnate Word punt, Lamar mounted another scoring drive. Coleman methodically moved his team down the field, and with 1:10 remaining on the clock, he found receiver Jaydn Girard on an 8-yard touchdown pass. The successful extra point brought Lamar to within a single score at 24-17.

Lamar’s attempt at an onside kick was unsuccessful, and Incarnate Word’s Colson took two kneel-downs to run out the remaining clock, sealing the victory for the home team.

Key to the game was Incarnate Word’s ability to control possession and capitalize on its red-zone opportunities, scoring touchdowns on three of its four trips inside the Lamar 20-yard line. The Incarnate Word defense also consistently pressured Coleman, sacking him five times and disrupting the Lamar passing game for much of the contest.

For Incarnate Word, Lorick was the primary receiving threat, hauling in eight catches for 90 yards and the crucial late-first-half touchdown. The ground game was led by Timothy Carter of Miami Gardens, Fla., who rushed for 36 yards on 10 carries.

For Lamar, Kyndon Fuselier of Port Neches, Texas, was Coleman’s most frequent target, catching seven passes for 40 yards. Hyder provided a big-play element, gaining 73 yards on three receptions. The Lamar rushing attack was held in check, managing just 63 total yards.

The loss snaps a five-game winning streak for Lamar, which had been one of the surprise teams in the conference. Incarnate Word improves to 3-6, finding a positive result after a string of difficult losses. The game’s total of 41 points fell well under the pregame over/under line of 51.5, and the result was a stark contrast to the Interstat game simulator’s projection of a 42-28 Incarnate Word victory.