Eau Claire, Wis. - The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse football team, ranked ninth on this week's D3football.com, improved to 5-1 overall and 2-1 in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) with a 51-21 win at UW-Eau Claire Saturday afternoon at Carson Park. The Blugolds fall to 1-5 overall and 0-3 in the conference. It is UWL's fifth straight win over UW-Eau Claire.

UWL's 51 points are the most against UW-Eau Claire since a 55-40 victory in 1997.

After UW-Eau Claire was forced to punt on the first possession of the game, UWL went 44 yards in five plays to take a 7-0 lead on Cade Garcia's seven-yard touchdown pass to Max Stubbendick. Ryan Beirne's extra-point made it 7-0 with 10:42 remaining in the first quarter. The drive was set-up by Tyler Stubbendick's 16-yard punt return. After another Blugolds' punt, the Eagles took a 14-0 lead on Joey Stutzman's one-yard touchdown run with 7:51 left in the opening quarter. The drive used three plays and went 64 yards. 

Stutzman scored his second rushing touchdown of the game with 13:31 remaining in the first half on a five-yard run. UWL went 76 yards in six plays and 3:13. The extra-point was missed. UW-Eau Claire got on the scoreboard on its next possession as Harry Roubidoux threw a 15-yard touchdown pass to Isaac Garside with 12:33 left in the second quarter. The drive went 75 yards in three plays to make it 20-7. 

UWL took a 27-7 halftime lead after Keyser Helterbrand connected with Cameron Sorenson on an 11-yard touchdown pass with 7:05 remaining in the first half. The Eagles went 60 yards in four plays and 1:42. Brant Bohman opened the drive with a 51-yard run.  

Bohman returned the second half kickoff 24-yards and on the next play, Helterbrand scored on a 75-yard run to give UWL a 34-7 lead. Beirne's 20-yard field goal with 1:49 left in the third quarter made it 37-7. UWL used 13 plays to go 88 yards in 7:24. 

Roubidoux threw a four-yard touchdown pass to Garside with :02 left in the third quarter to cut the lead to 37-14. UW-Eau Claire went 72 yards in six plays and 1:43. 

Bohman's 11-yard touchdown run with 10:29 left in the game gave UWL a 44-14 advantage as the Eagles went 75 yards in nine plays and 4:33. Roubidoux threw his third touchdown pass of the game with 7:30 left, this time to Nolan Stans for 28-yards. The Blugolds went 90 yards in nine plays and 2:59. 

Helterbrand finished the scoring with 4:40 left on a three-yard touchdown run. The drive consisted of five plays in 80 yards and 2:44. Bohman had a 62-yard run on the drive. 

UWL finished with a season-high 632 yards of offense, including 386 rushing (season-high) and 246 passing. The Eagles had 23 first downs in the game while finishing six-of-10 on third-down. UWL won the time of possession, 32:53 to 27:07. The 51 points is also a season-high.

Helterbrand went six-of-seven passing for 151 yards with one touchdown while Garcia finished eight-of-16 for 95 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions. Bohman led UWL with a 156 yards rushing on 13 carries and one touchdown while Stutzman totaled 138 yards on 23 attempts and two touchdowns. Helterbrand have 87 yards rushing on five carries while also finishing with two touchdowns. 

Stubbendick had five catches for 82 yards and a touchdown. Matthijs Enters had three receptions for 55 yards while Wyatt Lemoine (57 yards) and Sorenson (42) each had two catches with Sorenson recording one touchdown. 

UW-Eau Claire totaled 399 yards, finishing with 148 rushing and 251 passing. The Blugolds had 18 first downs while going two-of-12 on third-down. 

Roubidoux finished 22-of-39 for 251 yards with three touchdowns and one interception. Ivan Ruble had 97 yards rushing on 18 attempts while Garside had 105 receiving yards on seven catches and two touchdowns. 

Jack Anderson led UWL with seven tackles Saturday while Cade Osborn finished with five. AJ Spychala and Aaron Schmitz each had four tackles. Jake Cochnauer led UW-Eau Claire with nine tackles while Ryan Kuechle, Sam Schradle and AJ Firminhac each had eight. 

UWL returns to action Saturday, October 22 hosting UW-Stevens Point at 1 p.m.