Game Stats
Platteville, Wis. - The UW-La Crosse football team suffered its first loss of the season with a 26-13 defeat at UW-Platteville Saturday afternoon at Pioneer Stadium. The Eagles fall to 4-1 overall and 1-1 in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) while the Pioneers improve to 3-2 overall and 1-1 in the conference in their homecoming game. It is UW-Platteville's second straight home win over UW-L, earning a 37-34 victory in 2007.
The Pioneers drove to the Eagles' three-yard line on the first possession of the game, but Nick Anderson was intercepted by UW-L's Billy Niggeman in the end zone. After a seven-yard punt from Christian Hallingstad on UW-L's first possession, UW-Platteville took a 7-0 lead as Anderson threw a 13-yard touchdown pass to Joe Burkeland with 7:04 left in the first quarter.
Anker fumbled on UW-L's next drive with Tom Bruins recovering at the Eagles' 28-yard line. Four plays later Tony Smidl converted a 23-yard field goal for a 10-0 Pioneers' lead.
UW-L, ranked 16th in this week's D3football.com Poll and in the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Poll, cut the lead to 10-7 early in the second quarter. Dylan Rude missed a 30-yard field goal, but UW-Platteville was called for a penalty to give UW-L a first down at the Pioneers' seven-yard line. Lee Lauters later scored on a three-yard run with 10:47 left in the first half and Rude's extra-point made it 10-7.
UW-Platteville went 50 yards in eight plays to take a 17-7 lead with 8:01 remaining in the second quarter as Mitch Shadley hit Jake Wiederholt on a four-yard touchdown pass. Anker was intercepted on UW-L's next possession, but Shadley was picked off by the Eagles' Derek Dreher in the end zone with 2:15 left in the half. UW-L drove to the UW-Platteville 28-yard line, but Tyler Keeney fumbled after catching a pass and the Pioneers' Brian Snyder returned the ball to the Eagles' 20-yard line. Shadley threw his second touchdown pass of the game with :43 left in the second quarter to give UW-Platteville a 24-7 halftime lead as he connected with Darin Blaser on a nine-yard play.
Hallingstad had his first punt of the second half blocked on UW-L's first possession for a safety and 26-7 UW-Platteville lead.
Lauters scored his second touchdown of the game on a one-yard run with 2:06 left in the fourth quarter to make it 26-13. Anker's two-point pass attempted failed and UW-Platteville recoverd the ensuing on-side kick.
UW-L finished with 283 yards of offense, including 117 rushing and 166 passing. Lauters set career-highs with 31 rushing attempts and 142 yards with the two touchdowns while Anker was 22-of-42 passing for 166 yards and an interception. He was sacked twice. Travis Bordeau (60 yards) and Alex Maxinoski (40) each finished with eight catches for the Eagles.
UW-L had 13 penalties in the game for 122 yards while finishing seven-of-19 in third-down conversions. The Eagles had three turnovers.
The Pioneers totaled 215 yards of offense, including 43 rushing and 172 passing. Brandon Hertrampf had 11 carries for 14 yards while Shadley finished with seven attempts for 13 yards. Shadley was eight-of-17 passing for 71 yards and two touchdowns and one interception while Anderson finished six-of-nine for 101 yards with a touchdown and interception. He was injured in the first quarter of the game and did not return. Jimmy Spehn (58 yards) and Aunton Terry (37) each caught three passes. UW-Platteville was three-of-12 on third-down.
Justin Hartwig led UW-L with 10 tackles, including seven solo. He had 3.5 tackles for loss and one quarterback sack. Aaron Johnson and Dustin Drath each recorded seven tackles with Johnson finishing with 4.0 tackles for loss. Tom Makens and Phillip Minja had a sack.
Bruins led UW-Platteville with 12 tackles, including nine solo. He also finished with 2.5 tackles for loss, two forced fumbles, one fumble recovery and one pass break-up. Dave Daino had 11 tackles, including nine solo.
UW-L returns to action Saturday, Oct. 17 at UW-River Falls at 1 p.m.