ALBION, Mich. (blugolds.com) – The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire football team was back in action Saturday after having the last week off for a bye. The UW-Eau Claire Blugolds traveled to Albion College for their final nonconference game of the year. After a big second quarter and the halftime lead, the Blugolds fell on the road to the Albion Britons, 20-23.
The momentum swung away from UWEC early on, after the Brits returned the opening kickoff 98 yards for the game's first score.
The Blugold defense was tested early but held strong while trailing 13-0. Out of the five Albion drives in the first quarter, UWEC's defense forced three 3-and-outs, a missed field goal, and a blocked extra point.
Before the end of the first quarter, the Blugolds would find the endzone as Jonathan Malueg (Sr. – Stoughton, WI) found Joe Swanson (Sr. – Osceola, WI) for a three—yard touchdown pass to make it 6-13. Brady Frantal was perfect on the day as he knocked in the extra point to cut the deficit to just six points.
Two drives later, the Blugolds would take advantage of the Albion miscues after an offsides call during a fourth down field goal attempt gave them a fresh set of downs. Austin Belot (Sr. – Neenah, WI) capped off the 80-yard drive with a run up the middle and to the left to make it 14-13. Belot's 10-yard run was his fifth on the season and ties him for second in the conference for the most touchdowns.
With two seconds left before the half, Frantal sent home a 26-yard field goal to give Eau Claire their first lead of the game, 17-16.
The second half would show a defensive battle as both teams only combined for ten points. During the opening drive of the third quarter, a pass intended for Isaac Garside (Jr. – Bonduel, WI) was tipped up and intercepted at the three-yard line by the Britons, shifting the momentum once again. Albion capitalized on the following drive with a 20-yard touchdown pass to put the Blugolds behind 17-23.
The ensuing Blugold drive was stuffed at 16 yards on five plays, but Alex Mashak (Sr. – Lodi, WI) put the ball back in the hands of the Blugolds after he picked off the Albion quarterback on the Brits' 42-yard line. The interception was Mashak's first on the year and second of his Blugold career.
Brady Frantal kept his kicking streak alive after potting his second of the afternoon from 36-yards away with just one quarter to go.
In the fourth, the clock was the Blugolds enemy as the Brits ran the clock for eleven-minutes and nine seconds during their time of possession; allowing UWEC with four minutes and 45-seconds on offense. UW-Eau Claire would get one last look at a drive in the final 37 seconds after an Albion punt was downed in the endzone, but the Briton's cornerback jumped up and snagged off the UWEC receiver to ultimately end the game.
UWEC finished with 266 total offensive yards and are now 2-1 on the season.
The Blugolds will begin Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) play next Saturday, October 2nd when they travel to UW-Stevens Point to take on the Pointers. Kickoff is scheduled for 1 PM.
Follow the Blugolds all season long at Blugold Game Day or on our app, UWEC Blugolds.
