Coming off a loss for the first time in 2022, the No. 14-ranked Ashland University football team responded with a 31-23 victory at Lake Erie on Saturday (Nov. 5) night.
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The Eagles are 8-1 overall and 6-1 in the Great Midwest Athletic Conference, while the Storm are 3-7, 3-5. Ashland remains in first place in the Great Midwest going into the final regular-season contest of 2022.
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Ashland was No. 2 in the second set of NCAA Division II Super Region 1 rankings, and the third set will be revealed on Monday (Nov. 7) afternoon.
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WHAT HAPPENED
- Lake Erie had a 10-3 lead early in the second quarter following a seven-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Gerald Gardner to tight end Koraun Perdue and a 26-yard field goal from kicker Nathan Tager. Freshman kicker A.J. Rhodes' 22-yard field goal accounted for AU's early points.
- That's when the back-and-forth began. The Eagles scored consecutive touchdowns in the second period when senior wide receiver Garrett Turnbaugh caught a 20-yard pass from senior quarterback Austin Brenner, and junior tailback Larry Martin went in from two yards out.
- Gardner then found wide receiver Peyton Brown for an 18-yard TD pass with 32 seconds left until halftime to tie the game, and the Storm took a 23-17 lead early in the second half on senior running back Altwjuan Beck-Lindsey's 38-yard TD run. The extra point, however, was blocked by sophomore defensive tackle Andrew Douglas.
- Ashland got the last run – and word – of the game when Brenner hit senior wide receiver Logan Bolin for two touchdown passes of 14 yards in the third quarter and nine yards in the fourth.
THE WRAP-UP
- Martin set new career highs in carries (40) and rushing yards (226) in the victory, as the Eagles ran for 290 yards as a team.
- Brenner was 12-for-20 for 179 yards, three touchdowns and one interception passing.
- Defensively, safety Justin Moore led the way with five solo tackles, two tackles for loss and a sack.
- The game featured 54 points, 48 first downs, 825 yards and just one turnover.
- Ashland leads the all-time series against Lake Erie, 8-1.
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UP NEXT
Ashland's final regular-season game of 2022, on Nov. 12 at 1 p.m. at Jack Miller Stadium/Martinelli Field vs. Kentucky Wesleyan. It will be Senior Day, as well as the 2012 AU team recognition.
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