NOTEBOOK

NOTEBOOK
YSU vs. Western Illinois
Disappointing crowd: The attendance of 11,909 was disappointing considering the Penguins' record and standings in the Gateway Conference. It was the smallest home crowd this season and the smallest since the Indiana State game a year ago when only 10,512 showed up.Lots of losses: The YSU defense had one of its biggest games when it came to tackles for losses. The Penguins had 12 tackles behind the line of scrimmage for a total of 63 yards in losses. Seven of those were quarterback sacks; senior defensive end Brandon Brown had two and junior linebacker Jeff Koval had two. Western Illinois finished with six tackles for losses, including four sacks.Missing: The Penguins played without their leading receiver, Kyle Smith, who is still recuperating from a shoulder injury suffered last week. Smith is one game short of the YSU consecutive game pass reception streak as he has caught a pass in the last 27 games he has played. Sophomore starting defensive free safety Dorian Chenault also missed the game after undergoing surgery to have his appendix removed last week.Up next: The Penguins are at home again next Saturday when they play host to Missouri State for homecoming at 4 p.m. at Stambaugh Stadium.
Pete Mollica