Game Stats
River Falls, Wis. - The UW-La Crosse football team outlasted UW-River Falls and earned a 49-47 triple overtime victory Saturday afternoon at Ramer Field. The Eagles, ranked 24th on this week's D3hoops.com Top-25 Poll, improve to 5-1 overall and 2-1 in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) while the Falcons fall to 2-4 overall and 0-3 in the league. UW-River Falls has lost its three conference games by a combined five points.
UW-L has now won 17 straight games over UW-River Falls and won or tied 21 of the last 22 meetings.
UW-L's Travis Bordeau caught a tipped pass from Nick Anker on a two-point conversion in the third overtime to give the Eagles the victory. UW-L trailed 47-41 in the third extra session after UW-River Falls' Taylor Edwards scored his third rushing touchdown on a four-yard run. Teams are forced to go for two-points in the third and subsequent overtimes and Edwards was stopped to leave it 47-41. UW-L tied the contest at 47-47 as Anker hit Alex Maxinoski on a five-yard touchdown pass setting up Bordeau's two-point conversion.
The Falcons led 10-0 after the first quarter as Chad Blair hit a 27-yard field with 3:28 remaining in the opening period and Ryan Luessenheide scored on a 13-yard run. After Derek Dreher intercepted a Luessenheide pass at the UW-L 27-yard line in the second quarter, the Eagles' went 73 yards in eight plays to cut the lead to 10-7 on a Lee Lauters' two-yard run.
UW-L took its first lead of the game at 13-10 with 5:27 remaining in the second quarter as Bordeau blocked a UW-River Falls punt and returned it 56-yards for a touchdown. Dylan Rude's extra-point was missed. Edwards came right back for the Falcons, scoring on a three-yard run with :58 left in the second quarter to give UW-River Falls a 17-13 halftime advantage.
After forcing a pair of three-and-outs for UW-River Falls in the third period, Falcons' punter Dustin Samplawski dropped the snap and UW-L's John Rozek scored on a two-yard fumble recovery. Rude's extra-point gave the Eagles 20-17 lead with 1:49 left in the third quarter.
Edwards gave UW-River Falls a 24-20 lead with 13:51 remaining in the fourth quarter, scoring on a two-yard run, but Tyler O'Kane put UW-L back ahead with a 12-yard touchdown catch from Anker with 8:48 left in the game to make it 27-24. Both teams traded punts on their next possessions before UW-River falls went 39 yards on nine plays to force a 27-27 tie as Drake Klatt hit a 46-yard field goal with 1:29 remaining.
UW-River Falls took the ball on the first possession of overtime and led 34-27 advantage as Luessenheide hit Eric Brewster on a 21-yard touchdown pass. Blair converted the extra-point. Anker hit Bordeau on the first overtime play for UW-L's offense from 25-yards out and Rude's extra-point tied the game at 34-34.
Bordeau gave UW-L a 41-34 lead in the second overtime scoring on a four-yard pass from Anker with Rude making the extra point, but Luessenheide tied the contest for UW-River Falls connecting with Michael Woodward on a 20-yard pass play. Blair's extra-point made it 41-41 and forced the third overtime.
UW-L finished with 380 yards of offense, including 132 rushing and 248 passing. Lauters had 86 yards rushing on 19 attempts with one touchdown while O'Kane finished with 35 yards on 10 attempts. He also had three catches for 28 yards and a score. Anker was 24-for-38 passing for a 248 yards and career-high four touchdowns. Bordeau caught six passes for 67 yards and two touchdowns while Maxinoski had four receptions for 62 yards and a touchdown. Dan Sellers (57 yards) and Ben Sturomski (26) each had four catches.
UW-River Falls totaled 406 yards, including 249 rushing and 157 passing. Edwards had 142 yards on 44 attempts and three touchdowns while Luessenheide completed 13-of-32 passes for 157 yards with an interception and two touchdowns. Ryan Hansen had five catches for 47 yards for the Falcons and Brewser finished with four receptions for 57 yards and a touchdown.
Aaron Johnson led UW-L's defense with 15 tackles, including eight solo. He also had a team-high 2.5 tackles for loss. Jim Litscher totaled nine tackles (six solo) while Blake Roemer also had nine tackles (five solo). Tom Makens recorded a sack for the Eagles. Matt Ainsworth led UW-River Falls with 13 tackles.
UW-L returns to action Saturday, Oct. 24 hosting UW-Stevens Point at 1 p.m. on Family, Friends & Alumni Weekend.
