EAU CLAIRE, Wis. (Blugolds.com) - The UW-Eau Claire football team snapped a three-game losing streak with a 20-14 win over UW-Oshkosh at Carson Park tonight.
The Blugolds (4-4, 2-3 WIAC) got on the board quickly with a touchdown just over four minutes into the game. After the Blugolds opened with a drive but were forced to punt, Oshkosh (4-4, 3-2 WIAC) ran two plays on its opening drive but the third cost the Titans a score. Oshkosh's Charlie Weissman fumbled on the play and the Blugolds' Chris Olson (Jr.-Stratford, Wis.) recovered and took the ball 13 yards into the end zone to give Eau Claire the lead.
On the Blugolds' next possession, a fumble by Matt Olson (Jr.-Stratford, Wis./Stratford/Winona State) gave the Titans the ball back on the Eau Claire 31. After a few plays the Titans made it to the Eau Claire 17 and on a fourth-and-seven they attempted a fake field goal but Chad Samuelson (Jr.-St. Paul, Minn./Cretin-Derham Hall) intercepted a pass in the end zone to give the ball back to Eau Claire.
The teams went back and forth until the end of the second quarter, when Joel Sweeney (Fr.-Tomah, Wis.) scored on a seven-yard run with 42 seconds left before halftime. A failed kick left the score at 13-0 at the intermission.
Late in the third quarter, the Blugolds started a drive that ended with a touchdown in the fourth. Sweeney capped off an 11-play, 77-yard drive that lasted more than eight minutes with a two-yard touchdown run.
Oshkosh didn't go quietly, however, and scored a touchdown on each of its next two possessions. The last touchdown came with just a little more than three minutes left but the Blugolds were able to hold onto the ball the rest of the way for the 20-14 win.
The teams were nearly even in yardage with 395 for the Blugolds compared to 375 for Oshkosh. Eau Claire held a major advantage in time of possession, however, with more than 36 minutes to Oshkosh's time of just under 24. Each team recovered a fumble while Eau Claire had two interceptions and Oshkosh had one.
Sweeney led the game with 232 rushing yards on 42 carries, both of which rank seventh on the Blugolds' all-time lists in their respective categories. Austin Neu (So.-Iron Ridge, Wis./Hustisford) led the Blugolds in passing with 153 yards (13-for-23) while David Goodman (Jr.-Neenah, Wis.) had a game-high 67 yards receiving on five catches.
On defense, Andy Neumann (Jr.-Germantown, Wis.) led the game with nine tackles. Mark Bader (Sr.-Burnsville, Minn.) had an interception along with Samuelson.
Eau Claire will be back on the road next weekend facing UW-La Crosse. Action will get underway at 11:30 a.m. and the game will be televised live on WQOW TV 18/WXOW TV 19 in the Eau Claire-La Crosse area.
