Game Leaders
Team Stats
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Time of Poss.
LISLE, Ill. (WLCSports.com) - Junior Nathan Nevad (Merritt Island, Fla.) blocked a potential game-tying field goal attempt with 0:14 seconds left and Wisconsin Lutheran College held on for a 10-7 Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference win over Benedictine on Saturday at Village of Lisle-Benedictine Sports Complex.
The Warriors (4-2, 3-1 NACC), who defeated the Eagles for the first time since 2014, picked up their first road win in Lisle since 2011. Not only that, but the 10 points scored by the team marked the fewest needed for a victory in the history of the program.
WLC managed just 19 yards of total offense through its first three possessions of the game, punting on each of the drives. Wisconsin Lutheran forced a turnover on downs and a missed field goal attempt after BenU drove deep into its territory twice on its first three drives of the game.
Benedictine broke the scoreless contest with 3:04 left in the second quarter on Dylan Sigel's one-yard touchdown run, completing a five-play, 62-yard scoring drive. The Warriors then went 58 yards on nine plays, highlighted by a trio of lengthy completions from junior Bryce Barbian (Cudahy, Wis.) to setup a first-half ending a 28-yard field goal from senior Arnulfo Ortega (Laredo, Texas).
WLC opened the third quarter with its longest drive of the game, marching 75 yards on only seven plays. Barbian connected on a 10-yard touchdown to sophomore Emmitt Hawkins (Cudahy, Wis.), who had 48 receiving yards on the drive alone, for a 10-7 lead with 11:19 left in the third quarter.
Wisconsin Lutheran denied Benedictine on its next two drives, coming up with consecutive 4th-and-short stops after the Eagles moved into Warriors territory. Maintaining its three-point lead with 11:15 remaining in the game, the Warriors were forced to punt twice, giving the ball back to BenU at its own 21-yard line with 3:43 left.
Benedictine drove down to WLC's 23-yard line, highlighted by a 40-yard pass completion, but Wisconsin Lutheran's defense held, forcing a 40-yard field goal try on 4th-and-4 with 0:14 seconds left. Nevad blocked the field goal try and the ball caromed out-of-bounds shortly thereafter.
Barbian completed 14 of 24 passing attempts for 149 yards and a touchdown. Hawkins had five catches for 74 yards and a score, while junior Jamil Gordon (San Marcos, Texas) caught five passes for 42 yards. Freshman Liam Heiges (Appleton, Wis.) rushed 11 times for 35 yards.
Senior Savon Goodwin (New Orleans, La.) recorded a game- and season-high 14 tackles, while Nevad added a career-high 12 stops.
Dino Stephens rushed for 167 yards on 26 carries for the Eagles (3-4, 1-4 NACC), who out-gained the Warriors 371-203 and controlled time of possession by nearly 14 minutes. Tyler Walker and Jake Diamantos each tallied nine tackles.
WLC travels to River Forest, Illinois next Saturday for a 1 p.m. NACC matchup against Concordia Chicago (2-5, 1-4 NACC). Live coverage links can be found at WLCSports.com.