University of Wisconsin-Platteville
extended its winning streak in home openers under head coach Mike
Emendorfer to 13 in a row with a 38-3 win over Buena Vista on a rainy Pioneer
Stadium on Saturday.
Regardless of the rain, it was a potent balanced offensive attack
for the Pioneers, who passed for 185 yards and ran for 234 yards in
the win. A key cog behind the balanced attack was junior
quarterback Nick Anderson, who
went 14-for-21 through the air with three touchdown passes and a
team-leading nine carries for 72 yards.
To supplement the offense, the Pioneer defense held Buena Vista to 272 yards of
total offense, 69 of it coming on the ground; plus, 63 of it coming
on a pass completion. Anchoring the defense was junior Nick Snyder who had
eight tackles, including 3.5 for minus yardage and a forced fumble.
As a whole, the Pioneer defense forced three BVU turnovers on the
afternoon.
Anderson led the Pioneers down the field on the first drive of the
season, culminating with an 8-yard touchdown pass completion to Jake
Wiederholt. A bulk of the work was done by Lee Vlasak, who set
up the three touchdowns and UWP took advantage of a Buena Vista personal foul to set
up first and goal.
Trailing 7-0, Buena Vista took advantage of a short punt and
penalty by the Pioneers before Ross Mueller picked
off a pass at the 3-yard line to halt a drive. The Pioneers
capitalized on it with an eight play, 97-yard drive that ended with
a 12-yard touchdown reception by sophomore Aaron Loferski
from Anderson.
Next, the Beavers cut into the Pioneers lead with a 22-yard field
goal to trim the deficit to 14-3. The Pioneers answered when Lee
Vlasak scored his first touchdown of the season to stretch the lead
to 21-3. In the drive, Anderson found Darin Blaser four
times to march UW-Platteville down the field.
The tandem of Anderson and Blaser worked together, on the next
possession, when the two hooked up for a 27-yard touchdown
reception to stretch the lead to 28-3 with 1:36 left in the opening
half. The Pioneers added a 20-yard field goal early in the third
quarter by Zach Litchfield
and a Ryan McWerthy interception in the fourth quarter set up a Chad Roscoe
touchdown from three yards out for the final margin.
Next, UW-Platteville will travel to UW-Stevens Point on Saturday, Sept.
10 at 1 p.m. The contest between the Pioneers and the Pointers will
not count towards the WIAC Conference standings.
