EAU CLAIRE, Wis. — The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire defeated UW-Stevens Point 31-9 on Saturday at Carson Park. The Blugolds scored 21 unanswered points on three first-quarter scoring drives to build a 21-0 lead. The defense had a season-high eight sacks and three takeaways while holding the Pointers to 49 rushing yards, and UW-Eau Claire added 239 rushing yards. The Blugolds' 4-0 start to the season is the best start in program history since 2001.
UW-Eau Claire used its ground game and defense to build a 21-0 first-quarter lead, rushing for 128 yards while the Pointers finished with 23 rushing yards and 42 passing yards.
Adam Glynn's 48-yard touchdown run was the longest offensive play of the quarter, and the defense added two sacks before
Jack Scheldroup forced a fumble that
Connor Durand returned 18 yards for a touchdown. Scheldroup achieved a career high on the afternoon with 10 tackles.
UWSP held possession for 9:05 in the second quarter but managed only two field goals, from 49 and 33 yards, as the Blugolds limited the visitors to six rushing yards and 1-for-6 on third down. The UW-Eau Claire defense had two sacks and two takeaways, including a
Vince Lenzy fumble recovery and a
Deshun Sturdivant interception, while the offense finished the quarter with 47 yards and no points. The Pointers won the quarter 6-0, and the scoreboard stood at 21-6 at the end of the quarter.
The Pointers scored the third quarter's only points on Tyler Sodemann's 28-yard field goal, making it 21-9, while holding UW-Eau Claire scoreless despite a 61-yard drive. The Blugolds converted two of three third downs in the quarter and reached the Pointers 7 before turning it over on downs, and Durand's sack helped stop the visitors' next possession.
UW-Eau Claire outscored UWSP 10-0 in the fourth quarter to finish a 31-9 win, getting a 5-yard touchdown pass from
Ayden Helder to
Jack Drange and a 37-yard field goal from
Connor Radaj. It was Drange's first time finding the endzone in his Blugold career. The Blugolds produced 78 rushing yards and 65 passing yards in the quarter, while their defense recorded three sacks, held the Pointers to minus-2 rushing yards and stopped both fourth-down attempts, including one at the WEC12.
Paxton Rothmeier carried 24 times for 174 yards and surpassed the 1,000 rushing yards milestone, accumulating 1,013 in his career. Helder completed 15 of 25 passes for 157 yards and two touchdowns without an interception.
Brady Puls finished with nine tackles and two sacks. Durand recorded five tackles, one sack and a fumble recovery that he returned 18 yards for a touchdown.
UW-Eau Claire has achieved at least 239 rush yards in three consecutive games and is 4-0 overall and 1-0 in conference play. UWSP is 2-2 overall and 0-1 in conference play.
UW-Eau Claire continues WIAC play next weekend as the team travels to Platteville, Wis., to face UW-Platteville on Saturday, Oct. 10. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. at Ralph E. Davis Pioneer Stadium.
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