APPLETON, Wis. -- The Lawrence University football team took advantage of big plays, a stifling run defense, and the running and throwing of quarterback Eric Aspenson to carve out a 22-18 Midwest Conference win over Illinois College Saturday in the Banta Bowl in a contest that featured three safeties.
Lawrence (1-3, 1-3 MWC) got a defensive touchdown, five interceptions, and allowed the Blueboys to rush for only 15 yards on 24 attempts. Illinois College (2-3, 2-2) mounted a late rally, but the Vikings snuffed out the final drive with Andy Frelich's interception.
The Blueboys got off to a great start when they scored just three plays into the game when quarterback Pete Jennings hit Michael Jennings with a 4-yard touchdown pass.
Lawrence cut the lead to 7-3 on Bryan Althouse's 34-yard field goal, which was set up when Frelich jarred the ball loose from IC punt returner Dink Simmons. Richard Langman recovered for the Vikings at the IC 15-yard line.
The Vikings scored on their next possession on a six-play, 55-yard drive. Quarterback Eric Aspenson, who had 26 carries for 132 yards and completed 13 of 23 passes for 135 yards, hit Alex Maxam with a 44-yard pass to set up the touchdown. Aspenson ran it in from a yard out with 5:24 left in the first quarter to put Lawrence up 10-7.
Junior defensive tackle Jeremy Reider scored his first career touchdown midway through the second quarter. He intercepted Pete Jennings' pass and rumbled 21 yards for the score to put Lawrence up 17-7 with 6:32 left in the half.
Pete Jennings was injured on IC's next possession and didn't return to the game.
Lawrence added to its lead late in the third quarter. The ball was snapped over punter Conner McMakin's head deep in Blueboys territory, and he kicked the ball out of the end zone for a safety and a 19-7 Lawrence lead.
The Vikings made it 22-7 on their next possession. Aspenson ripped off a 52-yard run to the IC 8 but the drive stalled, and Althouse then booted a 22-yard field goal with 34 seconds left in the third quarter.
The Blueboys got a safety of their own when the punt of Kyle Gauthier, who had two interceptions on the day, was blocked at the 5-yard line and covered by Lawrence's Brian Janssen in the end zone.
IC took the ensuing free kick and drove down the field. Reserve quarterback Mitch Niekamp completed the eight-play, 47-yard drive with a 4-yard touchdown pass to Michael Jennings to trim the lead to 22-16.
After the Vikings were pinned deep in their territory by the kickoff, Lawrence elected to take a safety on fourth down when Gauthier ran out of the end zone with 2:24 remaining.
Lawrence still led 22-18, but Donald Jackson took the ensuing free kick and returned it to the 50-yard line. Niekamp was intercepted by Frelich on the next play and returned it for a touchdown. The score was called back due to an illegal block penalty, but Lawrence took over at its own 45. The Vikings faced a fourth-and-2 at the IC 47 with 22 seconds left, and Aspenson completed a pass to Craig Ebert for a first down to seal the win.
Lawrence goes back on the road next Saturday when it travels to Lake Forest for a 1:30 p.m. game.