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LISLE, Ill. - The Benedictine University football team rallied from down 20-0 at the half to score a 34-28 overtime win over Wisconsin Lutheran College.
Wisconsin Lutheran took advantage of field position in the first half to open the lead. The first score came with 7:33 left in the first following a nine-play drive but a missed extra point made it 6-0. Wisconsin Lutheran failed to score on a 14-play drive but after a sack opened a drive in Benedictine territory extended the lead to 13-0. The final score came just before the close of the half. Benedictine managed just 78 yards in the first half.
Special teams set the tone for the second half of the contest. A fumbled punt return set up a seven-play drive for Benedictine, finished when Artie Monaco plunged into the endzone from one yard out with 11:02 to play in the third quarter. Trevor Walzak blocked a punt moments later and Alex Bretous recovered in the endzone to pull Benedictine within 20-14 with 9:29 to play.
Benedictine took the lead for the first time early in the fourth quarter when a botched snap allowed Joe Dickert to recover in the endzone with 11:20 remaining. Wisconsin Lutheran immediately responded, needing just four plays to take a 28-21 lead following a two-point conversion. Cyle Schultz found Blake Anders for a 75-yard score with 8:08 left to tie the game with the final points of regulation. Wisconsin Lutheran drove into Benedictine territory but a Jarrett Lecas interception at the four-yardline helped send the game to overtime.
The overtime session opened with Benedictine scoring as Schultz drove in from a yard out moments after another big play to Anders. The extra point hit the upright but Wisconsin Lutheran stalled at the six-yardline on an incomplete pass to end the game.
Wisconsin Lutheran piled up 452 yards of offense in the contest but Benedictine halted a two-game slide to the Warriors with the win. Schultz completed 19 passes for 274 yards with a touchdown. Six of the completions were to Anders, who finished with 215 yards and a touchdown.
Dylan Rose led a strong defensive effort with 17 tackles including three for loss. Lecas contributed 14 with an interception and two breakups. Niko Paaloalo tallied 12 tackles with Alex Davis and Joe Dickert notching 11 and Kris Rosemann finishing with 10.
Benedictine (5-2, 3-1), winners of three in a row, travel to Concordia University Chicago next week for a 1:00 p.m. contest.