Game Stats
La Crosse, Wis. - The UW-La Crosse football team improved to 2-0 on the season with a 49-24 victory over Azusa Pacific University (Calif.) Saturday afternoon in the first collegiate game played at the newly constructed Roger Harring Stadium at Veterans Memorial Field Sports Complex. The game was played in front of a crow of 4,028. Azusa drops to 0-3 on the season with the loss.
UW-L quarterback Nick Anker was intercepted on the first play from scrimmage by Azusa Pacific's Jeremy Turner who returned the ball to the Eagles' 17-yard line. Justin Jones scored on a 14-yard run two plays later to give the Cougars' a 7-0 lead after Ben Hansen's extra-point.
The Eagles came right back on their next possession, going 60 yards in 10 plays to tie the contest. Reid Oldenburg scored on a one-yard run and Dylan Rude's extra-point tied the game at 7-7. Oldenburg rushed for 48 yards on the drive. Azusa Pacific threw three incompletions on its next drive and UW-L took a 14-7 lead as Anker hit Travis Bordeau with a 21-yard touchdown pass with 5:10 remaining in the first quarter.
Azusa Pacific tied the contest at 14-14 with 3:54 remaining in the opening quarter. John van den Raadt hit Matt Davis on a 56-yard pass play to the Eagles' one-yard line and Chris Brown scored on the next play with a one-yard run.
UW-L scored 21 unanswered points in the second quarter to take a 35-14 halftime lead. Jason Church scored on a one-yard run with 8:31 left in the second quarter to give the Eagles a 21-14 lead. Nick Kaschub then returned a Azusa Pacific fumble on the ensuing kickoff 12-yards for a touchdown and 28-14 UW-L advantage. After Hansen missed a 47-yard field goal with 5:00 left in the half, the Eagles went 68 yards on eight plays as Oldenburg scored on a four-yard run with 1:42 remaining.
Hansen hit a 33-yard field goal with 7:37 left in the third quarter for Azusa Pacific to cut the lead to 35-17, but Anker threw his second touchdown of the game with 9:42 remaining in the fourth quarter, hitting Dan Sellers from 15-yards out.
Ben Morrison gave UW-L a 49-17 lead after returning an interception 78 yards for a touchdown with 2:57 left. Brown then tallied his second touchdown of the game for Azusa Pacific to finish the scoring, running in from 14-yards out.
Oldenburg set career-highs in rushing attempts (33) and yards (206) for UW-L while scoring twice. Anker was 11-of-17 passing for 135 yards with two touchdowns and one interception. Alex Maxinoski had a team-high five receptions for 54 yards while Sellers finished with three catches for 42 yards and a touchdown.
UW-L totaled 380 yards of offense, including 245 rushing. The Eagles were seven-of-12 on third-down and scored on four-of-five red-zone opportunities.
Azusa Pacific finished with 377 yards of offense, including 135 rushing and 242 passing. Brown had 23 carries for 121 yards and two touchdowns while van den Raadt was 14-of-25 passing for 161 yards and one interception. Davis caught four passes for 71 yards while Brown had four receptions for 51 yards. The Cougars were three-of-13 on third-down and four-of-five in red-zone chances.
Dustin Drath led UW-L with eight tackles while Blake Roemer had six. Jon Boyle finished with five tackles. The Eagles forced three turnovers.
Jay York led Azusa Pacific with 11 tackles while Mark Berry recorded nine.
UW-L returns to action Saturday, Sept. 26 hosting Missouri University of Science & Technology at 4 p.m.
