ROLLA, Mo. – Chad Shockley (St. James, Mo./John F. Hodge)'s biggest day as a Miner helped lead Missouri S&T into the win column for the first time in the 2010 season, as the Miners rallied in the fourth quarter to knock off Wisconsin-LaCrosse 31-24 Saturday afternoon at Allgood-Bailey Stadium.

Shockley caught three touchdown passes among his five receptions on the day, none bigger than a 25-yard scoring grab with 3:24 to play to give the Miners the lead for good. The senior wideout, who also had scoring catches of 77 and 47 yards in the first half, finished with 199 receiving yards – tying the third-highest single game total in S&T history – and 272 all-purpose yards, the fifth-best mark in a Miner contest of all-time.

Prior to the start of Shockley's heroics, it was the Eagles who had the lead for much of the first half. UW-LaCrosse got a 23-yard field goal from Justin Huinker on its opening drive to take the lead, then extended it with 4:12 left in the half when Lee Lauters scored on a one-yard plunge on a fourth-and-goal play.

However, the Miners came right back and got on the scoreboard when quarterback Steve Watson (Berkeley, Ill./Walther Lutheran) hit Shockley in stride as he got past the secondary for a 77-yard touchdown play to cut the lead back to three. S&T's defense got a quick three-and-out to give the offense another chance with 1:32 to play in the half.

On another third down play, Watson connected with Shockley across the middle and he slipped past a defender along the sideline to score the go-ahead touchdown with 1:02 remaining.

“I thought Steve did a great job of managing the team today,” said Miner head coach David Brown, who earned his first win as a head coach Saturday. “Shockley made plays like he always does and the offensive line did a fine job in the running game and in protecting Steve.”

The Miner defense got in on the scoring right after the second half started, as UW-LaCrosse quarterback Nick Anker mishandled a snap; S&T linebacker Ashley Jordan (Chicago, Ill./John Hope) picked up the loose ball and raced 36 yards for a touchdown only 52 seconds into the half.

Missouri S&T held onto its 11-point lead until late in the third quarter. Billy Niggemann's 42-yard punt return into Miner territory led to a three-play scoring drive that culminated in a 32-yard scoring pass from Anker to Kyle Steffen.   It appeared that Steffen may have caught the pass with one foot on the paint along the sidelines, but the officials ruled otherwise and the score stood.

The Eagles then took the lead on their next trip down the field, as Lauters caught a screen pass and took it 52 yards to the Miners' one-yard line to set up a scoring run on the next play by Brock Larson.

S&T answered with a 61-yard drive of its own, highlighted by a diving catch by Shockley for 38 yards that put the ball on the Eagles' 14-yard line. The drive, however, stalled at the nine and S&T tied the game when Joe Drahos (Cedar Rapids, Iowa/Washington) connected on a field goal from 26 yards away.

The defensive unit followed with a key stop on a third-and-one, as Lonnell Jones (Kansas City, Mo./Ruskin) stopped Lauters for no gain to force a punt. Eagle punter Christian Hallingstad had to haul in a high snap, then shanked a four-yard punt to give the Miners the ball at the UW-LaCrosse 46-yard line.

After getting one first down on a swing pass to tight end Brian Mueller (St. Louis, Mo./Parkway North), the Miners got the game-winning touchdown pass from Watson to Shockley on a third-and-five play with 3:24 remaining.

UW-LaCrosse made one more venture into Miner territory, completing two passes on fourth down plays to keep the drive going. But after getting to the S&T 24 on the second fourth down conversion, Anker was sacked by Kellen Weaver (Country Club Hills, Ill./Hillcrest) on the next play to move the Eagles back and that drive would end with an incompletion with 38 seconds to play.

“As a program, we talk about the keys to victory being winning the effort and turnover battles – and I thought we did that today,” Brown said. “We took care of the ball ourselves and were able to get some turnovers on the defensive side.”

Besides the big day from Shockley, the Miners also got a solid performance from Watson, who completed eight-of-13 for 222 yards and the three scores. Bobby Pettis (Hickory Hills, Ill./Argo) led the Miner ground game with 58 yards as S&T had 142 yards rushing as a team.

Jones had eight tackles to lead the defensive effort as the Miners finished on the plus side in the turnover department for the first time this season.

Anker threw for 338 yards in a losing effort for the Eagles, completing 25-of-42 passes on the day, while Lauters finished with 174 all-purpose yards on his own behalf as he ran for 55 and caught five passes for 119 yards.

“We'll enjoy this win tonight and then start getting ready for Northwestern Oklahoma tomorrow,” Brown said.

The Miners, now 1-3 on the season, will remain at home next week to host Northwestern Oklahoma State for Homecoming at Allgood-Bailey Stadium. Game time will be at 1 p.m.