A strong-willed defense kept UW-Platteville from extending a 7-0 lead midway through the first quarter sparked No. 7 Wheaton to 16 unanswered points en route to a 23-14 win on Saturday night at Pioneer Stadium.

UW-Platteville (2-1) scored on its first possession for the second time in three games to take a 7-0 lead. The 13 play drive was sparked by a pair of third-down conversions as the Pioneers relied on the legs of junior running back Lee Vlasak and arm of quarterback junior Nick Anderson, who completed 4 of 6 passes. It was Anderson, who called his own number to start the drive with a 12-yard run, ended the drive with a four-yard plunge for the early lead.

On the ensuing possession, the Pioneer defense forced its second-straight three and out. UW-Platteville marched down the field on a pair of pass plays from Anderson to junior Jeff Bracken and sophomore Aaron Loferski, respectively. After a six-yard rush by Vlasak moved the ball down to the Wheaton 8. However, the Thunder kept the Pioneers at bay holding and held Vlasak and Pioneers from getting any closer to the end zone.

Wheaton (2-0) answered with a 13 play drive that included five first downs before settling for a 49-yard field goal by Scott Roche early into the second quarter. Two possessions later after an interception by the Pioneers' senior Connor Wilson, the Pioneers marched down the field and converted a fake punt to extend the drive. To start the possession, Anderson completed a 20-yard pass to Loferski. Later in the drive, it was the legs of Anderson that moved UW-Platteville into field goal range. On the final play of the half, the Pioneers missed a 29-yard field goal wide right.

The Thunder started the second half with a five play, 77-yard drive that ended with a 62-yard pass completion from Garrett Meador to Morgan Cook for the go-ahead score and put Wheaton ahead 10-7. On their next drive, Wheaton added to its lead when Roche made his second field goal of the night – this time from 37 yards out – to stretch the lead to 13-7.

Wheaton added to its lead in its first drive of the fourth quarter when Roche made his third field goal of the contest to extend the margin to 16-7.

The Pioneers quickly answered when senior Darin Blaser made a 30-yard touchdown reception to cut the deficit to 16-14 with 8:18 to play. The touchdown energized the Pioneer defense and crowd which forced Wheaton to punt. After the punt, the Pioneers turned it back over to the Thunder on a fumble.

Wheaton took advantage of the short field and scored a game-deciding touchdown when Justin Zeller caught a pass that was deflected by a UW-Platteville defender from Meador in the corner of the end zone for the final margin.

The Pioneers will look to bounce back and return to its winning ways, next Saturday, Sept. 24 when they start WIAC play as they host UW-La Crosse at 1 p.m.