EAU CLAIRE, Wis. (blugolds.com) – The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire football team fell in a defensive slugfest 24-0 against Bethel University on Saturday at Carson Park. The Blugolds played toe-to-toe with the 18
th-ranked Royals for most of the game, but couldn't break through to pull off an upset.
Neither side's defense budged much for most of the opening quarter. Including both teams, the first five drives of the game all ended in either punts or a turnover on downs. The stretch included a fourth-down stop for the Blugolds at their own 4-yard line to keep the Royals off the scoreboard.
Bethel broke the deadlock in the closing two minutes of the first quarter, getting in the end zone on a 34-yard touchdown pass to go ahead 7-0. The play accounted for nearly a third of their total yards in the first quarter.
The defensive slugfest continued in the second quarter. Neither offense was able to march down the field much. The Blugolds' defense recovered a fumble to again stop the Royals in the red zone.
Gyanni Kanellakis (Jr. – Cary, Ill./Cary Grove) pounced on the loose ball at UW-Eau Claire's 13-yard line to thwart the Royals.
The Royals extended their lead with 3:07 remaining in the second quarter. They broke free for a 76-yard touchdown pass to make the score 14-0, where it remained until halftime.
The second half began much the same way the first half did, with both defenses dictating the action. The first four drives of the third quarter all ended in punts. Bethel tacked on a 22-yard field goal late in the third quarter to carry a 17-0 lead into the final quarter.
UW-Eau Claire forced a turnover on downs in its own red zone to start the fourth quarter, winning the ball back at its own 10-yard line with a fourth-down stop. The only other score of the game came on a 1-yard touchdown run by Bethel later in the final period.
Kanellakis,
Noah Nephew (Jr. – Lakeville, Minn./Lakeville North) and
Caden Tonsager (Fr. – Eagan, Minn.) shared the game high with nine tackles each. Tonsager also had a sack.
Brady Underwood (Sr. – St. Cloud, Minn./St. Cloud Technical) was right behind with eight takedowns. The defense tallied four sacks and forced one fumble.
Quinn Faust (So. – Lodi, Wis.) completed 8 of 16 passes for 74 yards for the Blugolds.
Harry Roubidoux (Jr. – Winneconne, Wis.) was 6 of 18 for 32 yards.
Trey Fitzgerald (Jr. – Mosinee, Wis.) led the Blugolds with 23 receiving yards.
Landon Tonsager (Fr. – Eagan, Minn.) was close behind with 20 receiving yards.
The Blugolds have a bye next weekend and will be back in action on Saturday, Sept. 30, at UW-Stevens Point. It will be the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) opener for UW-Eau Claire. Kickoff is at 1 p.m.
