Late Field Goal Leads UW-Eau Claire over UW-L

For Immediate Release: Saturday, October 6, 2007

Eau Claire, Wis. – Craig Kolb hit a 46-yard field goal with :24 remaining to give UW-Eau Claire a 31-29 victory over UW-La Crosse Saturday afternoon at Carson Park. The Blugolds improve to 5-1 overall and 2-1 in the WIAC with the win while the Eagles fall to 2-2 overall and 0-2 in the conference. It marks the first time since 2001 UW-L has started 0-2 in the WIAC.

Kolb's field goal came after UW-L had scored 20 straight points in the fourth quarter to take a 29-28 lead. The Eagles trailed 28-9 early in the fourth quarter after Mitch Schaeuble hit Chris Hull with a 17-yard touchdown pass with 12:31 remaining. UW-L cut the lead to 28-16 as Alex Seguin hit Tyler Keeney with a six-yard touchdown pass with 9:07 left and after a UW-Eau Claire fumble, the Eagles' Dan Hall scored on a 10-yard run to make it 28-23 with 7:14 remaining.

Schaeuble then threw three incomplete passes for the Blugolds forcing a punt. UW-L drove 73 yards in 16 plays taking a 29-28 lead as Mike Schmidt scored on a one-yard run with 1:17 remaining. The Eagles' two-point conversion failed setting the stage for UW-Eau Claire's final drive. The Blugolds started at their own 35-yard line with 1:10 left and drove to the Eagles' 29-yard line. The key play in the drive was Schaeuble's 31-yard pass to Nils Dillon. Kolb later hit his game-winning field goal with :24 left.

UW-L drove to the UW-Eau Claire 45-yard line, but Seguin threw two incompletions to finish the game.

UW-Eau Claire took a 7-0 lead in the first quarter after the Blugolds blocked a UW-L punt. Schaeuble hit Tony Hull with a seven-yard touchdown pass. Cory Sartorelli gave UW-Eau Claire a 14-0 lead on a two-yard run with 9:48 left in the second period before Hall scored on a 14-yard run with 8:09 left in the quarter. Dylan Rude's extra-point was blocked. Rude later connected on a 24-yard field goal with :14 remaining in the second to make it 14-9 at halftime. Sartorelli gave the Blugolds' a 21-9 lead with 1:35 remaining in the third quarter on a three-yard run.

UW-L finished with 409 yards of offense, including 153 rushing and 256 passing. Hall led the team with 39 carries for 167 yards and two touchdowns. Seguin, making his first career start for UW-L, finished 27-of-46 passing for 256 yards with one touchdown. Garrett Mueller had a team-high six receptions for 59 yards.

The Eagles finished with 27 first downs to the Blugolds' 14.

UW-Eau Claire totaled 282 yards of offense, including 131 rushing and 151 passing. Sartorelli had 63 yards rushing on 23 attempts and two touchdowns while Schaeuble finished eight-of-26 passing for 151 yards and two touchdowns. Tony Hull had three catches for 50 yards.

Drew Kiefer led UW-L's defense with eight tackles, including two for loss and one sack. Joe Troia finished with six tackles and one fumble recovery. Zach Paul led UW-Eau Claire's defense with 16 tackles, including two for loss while Dave Wicklund had 15 tackles and Sam Cummings 10.

UW-L returns to action Saturday, October 13 at UW-Platteville at 1 p.m.