By Angela Kelm
Asst. Athletic Director for Sports Information
Box Score | Arlington Heights, Ill. – The No. 3 University of Wisconsin-Whitewater football team used a 17-point third quarter to defeat Roosevelt University 24-14 on the road Saturday afternoon.
The Warhawks got on the board with their first drive of the game. Despite an illegal block on the opening kick that pushed UWW back to their own eight-yard-line, the Warhawks needed just nine plays to drive the 92-yards for the score. The big play of the drive was a 46-yard Jason Ceniti to Vasey connection that gave UWW a first down at the RU 16. Two plays later, Ceniti hit Drake Martin for the six-yard passing touchdown. Jackson Fox split the uprights for a 7-0 UWW lead.
That score held through the rest of the half. The Warhawks came out in the third firing on all cylinders. The defense caused a turnover on the Lakers’ first drive of the second half. On the first play of the drive Tavy Crump forced a fumble on a reception but the receiver was able to recover. Two plays later, the RU quarterback fumbled and Lucas Sadler jumped on the loose ball in the end zone for the defensive score. Fox nailed the point after at the Warhawks lead doubled to 14-0.
On the next Roosevelt drive, Matt Burba burst into the backfield for a sack to force fourth down and a punt. The offense capitalized, getting into field goal position for Fox who hit the 40-yarder for a 17-0 advantage.
Roosevelt got on the board courtesy of an 84-yard touchdown reception on their next drive, but the Warhawks and Vasey had the answer.
Vasey hauled in the 63-yard kickoff and cruised passed defenders for a 98-yard kick return. That return tops his previous kick return for a TD of 93-yards from last season. Fox connected again and the UWW margin ballooned to 24-7.
Roosevelt capped the scoring in the game with a touchdown in the fourth on a deep pass down the middle from 31-yards out for the final, 24-14.
Ceniti was 12-21 for 128 yards and a passing touchdown. Brian Wilterdink, Blake Haggerty and Vasey all caught multiple passes from Ceniti with Martin’s sole reception going for the touchdown.
Brian Stanton led the charge in the ground game with 87 yards on 14 carries – an average of 6.2 per rush.
The Warhawk defense registered nine tackles for a loss and three sacks in the contest. Nehemiah Lomax, Mike Gutoski and Burba all got to the Lakers quarterback in the backfield. Dyson Klubertanz and Carter Sessa paced UWW with five tackles each.
UW-Whitewater will return to Perkins Stadium next week (September 21) for the final game of the non-conference slate. UWW will host Mary Hardin-Baylor for the team’s annual Alumni Day with kickoff set for 1 p.m.
