Box Score
Box score
LISLE, Ill. - Senior Jesse Muldrow (Milwaukee,
Wis./Wisconsin Lutheran) closed out his collegiate career with
three touchdowns and 167 total yards of offense to help lead
Wisconsin Lutheran College past Benedictine University 23-21
Saturday at the Village of Lisle-Benedictine Sports Complex.
The win not only snapped the Eagles' (7-3, 6-1 NAC) 16-game
conference winning streak, but also gave the Warriors a
school-record fourth consecutive victory. The fifth conference win
for WLC also set a school-record.
It was Benedictine that got the scoring started first after
forcing a WLC opening-drive interception, the Eagles went 38 yards
in seven plays capped off by a John Borsellino 24-yard touchdown
reception to gain the 7-0 lead early in the first quarter.
The Eagles expanded that lead in the second quarter when
quarterback Matt Brown threw his second touchdown of the game, this
time finding Chris Schultz from three yards out to put BU on top
13-0. The ensuing extra point was blocked by freshman Travis
Turnquist (Madison, Wis./East) and returned for two points by
sophomore Donavin Tucker (Brookfield, Wis./East) for a 13-2
score.
The final 3:30 of the first half proved to be the difference in
the game as the Warriors scored 15 points in the span to take a
17-13 lead into the break.
The rally began with the WLC defense as sophomore Eric Zeitler
(Waukesha, Wis./Wisconsin Lutheran) forced a fumble that was
recovered by freshman Andrew Kamenz (West Allis, Wis./Nathan Hale)
to give the Warriors the ball at the BU 34-yard line with 3:19
remaining in the half.
One play was all the forest green and white needed as Zach Shaw
(Gurnee, Ill./Warren Township) hooked up with Muldrow for a 34-yard
touchdown pass to make the score 13-8. Shaw then found junior Josh
Stodola (Denmark, Wis./Denmark) for the two-point conversion to
bring WLC within just three points with 3:14 to play in the
half.
The Wisconsin Lutheran defense then went back to work by
intercepting BU on its first play of its next drive as sophomore
Jordan Rabe (Oshkosh, Wis./West) made the first of his two
interceptions, giving the Warriors the ball back with
3:01 remaining in the opening half.
Again the Warriors offense needed just one play as Muldrow broke
loose for a 59-yard touchdown run putting WLC on top 17-13 with
2:49 remaining in the half. That score would hold until the break
as Rabe intercepted another pass in the second quarter on the
Eagles' next drive.
The defenses went to work in the third quarter as neither team
could put any points on the board, putting the Warriors 15 minutes
away from upending the conference champions.
After forcing a Benedictine punt on its first fourth-quarter
possession, the Warriors drove 45 yards in eight plays to take a
23-13 lead. It was Muldrow who again was the key player on the
drive as he ran five times for 35 yards and finished it off with a
10-yard touchdown run to put the forest green and white up by 10
points.
The Wisconsin Lutheran defense provided a big stop on the next
BU possession as it made a key fourth down and four stop to give
the offense the ball back with 6:10 to play.
The Warriors, however, fumbled on their second play of the next
possession and the Eagles Edwin Davila recovered the ball at the BU
48-yard line and returned it to the WLC 33, giving the Eagles a
chance with 5:08 on the clock. The Warriors also received a 15-yard
penalty on the play to spot the ball at the WLC 18-yard line.
Benedictine's offense capitalized, scoring in just three plays
when John Alessi scored from one-yard out, making the score 23-19
with 4:13 on the clock. The Eagles converted the two-point
conversion attempt for the 23-21 score.
A Wisconsin Lutheran three-and-out gave Benedictine a chance to
drive down field and win the game with 3:03 remaining. The
Eagles took the ball to the Warriors 23-yard line before WLC made a
big fourth down stop with 27 seconds left in the contest to give
the Warriors the 23-21 win.
Muldrow's 167 yards highlighted the Warriors offense which also
saw Tucker rush for 51 yards. Senior Kinte Collins (Chicago,
Ill./Clemente) led all WLC receivers by finishing with two catches
for 40 yards.
A main reason WLC was able to pull off the victory was because
it kept NAC-leading rusher Borsellino in check all day as he ran
for just 28 yards on 17 carries, good for just 1.6 yards per
attempt. Borsellion did, however, finish with a game-high 81
receiving yards on a game-high nine catches.
Rabe's two interceptions led the Warriors defense, while Jason
Kramer (Oconomowoc, Wis./Wisconsin Lutheran) had a game-high 13
tackles. Kamenz finished with 11 tackles, one for a loss, and a
fumble recovery, while Zeitler had a forced fumble and 10 tackles
and two for a loss. Kamenz and Zeitler each recorded sacks.
Benedictine's Ben Lockton finished with eight tackles, which was
third-highest on the team, but he also had 2.5 for a loss. Drew
Keil had nine tackles and a forced fumble for the host Eagles.
The Warriors conclude their season tied for a program-best 6-4
overall record and also a program-best 5-2 record in conference
play. The 5-2 record in the NAC puts the Warriors in second place,
behind Benedictine and Concordia Chicago, which each finished
6-1.
