GUNNISON, Colo. --- The Western Colorado football team honored its seniors prior to the game, but two defensive touchdowns for New Mexico Highlands was the difference as the Mountaineers fell 24-22 to the Cowboys on Saturday at Mountaineer Bowl.

The Mountaineers (5-5 overall, 5-4 RMAC) nearly doubled NMHU's (2-7, 2-7) offensive output - outgaining the Cowboys 381-191 - but a pair of interceptions returned for touchdowns overcame that edge as WCU's two-game win streak comes to an end.

The Mountaineers trailed 3-2 after a quarter (WCU scored on a snap that went through the end zone for NMHU) before a fumbled snap by the Cowboys recovered by WCU's Robert Garlock gave them great field position at the NMHU 17. Five plays later Josh Cummings leaped into the end zone from the NMHU 1 to give the Mountaineers a 9-3 lead.

But on WCU's next possession, NMHU's Malik Brown intercepted a pass and returned it 20 yards for the score to give the Cowboys a 10-9 lead with 7:03 left in the second quarter - and the score remained that way until halftime.

The Cowboys added to the lead with a 62-yard touchdown run by James Budgett with 3:55 left in the third quarter to make it 17-9.

The Mountaineers scored early in the fourth quarter on an 8-yard Luke Nethercot pass to James Bryant - but the two-point attempt failed and WCU still trailed at 17-15.

WCU was driving in the final three minutes to tie before a tipped pass landed in the hands of NMHU's Brown and he ran it back 46 yards for his second score of the game to make it 24-15 with 2:38 remaining in the contest. 

The Mountaineers scored with 36 seconds left on a Nethercot touchdown pass to Deyvon Butler to cut the deficit to two, but NMHU recovered the onside kick and ran the clock out.

Nethercot finished 23-for-38 for 233 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions. Elijah Gillespie had five catches for 55 yards while Xander Witt had four receptions for 55 yards. Butler led the ground game with 53 yards on eight carries.

Garlock paced a strong WCU defensive effort with eight tackles, three tackles for a loss, a sack and a fumble recovery.

The Mountaineers close out the season next Saturday at CSU-Pueblo.