MONMOUTH, Ill. – Cornell senior linebacker Colden Clark recorded a career-high 16 tackles in Saturday's 47-14 football loss to Midwest Conference co-leader Monmouth at April Zorn Stadium.
 
Clark and the Rams defense had a busy afternoon against a balanced Monmouth attack that racked up 556 yards, averaging 8.3 per play.
 
Monmouth (6-1 overall, 6-0 MWC) scored points on seven of its first eight possessions and led 33-0 midway through the third quarter. The Rams (2-5 overall, 2-5 MWC) showed fight at the end, reaching pay dirt on consecutive series to prevent Monmouth's shutout bid.
 
Quarterback Isaak Hahn put Cornell on the scoreboard with a 20-yard run with 5:25 left in the third quarter. The Rams executed a nine-play, 61-yard drive on the ensuing series, capped by a 6-yard TD run from Romien Taguiam.
 
Peni Waqairatu had a solid day in the run game, netting 82 yards on 14 carries with a long rush of 35 yards. Hahn finished 11-of-20 passing for 90 yards and was sacked three times against a tough defensive front.
 
Cornell freshman Trey Birdsong accounted for 174 all-purpose yards, including 137 on seven kickoff returns. He led the receiving corps with five catches for 37 yards.
 
The Rams stayed in the game early, trailing 7-0 through one quarter. The Fighting Scots pulled away with 16 second-quarter points, highlighted by a 65-yard fumble return and a 56-yard TD pass.
 
Cornell finished with 237 offensive yards and was successful on 8-of-16 third-down conversions.
 
Jordan Burke and Jonathan Buehler tallied eight tackles apiece for the Rams. Jeremiah Sherrill was in on seven stops, including 1.0 tackle for loss.
 
Cornell plays its final home game next Saturday, Oct. 30 against Illinois College (2-5 overall, 2-4 MWC). The Senior Day kickoff is 1 p.m. at Van Metre Field at Ash Park.