APPLETON, Wis. -- The St. Norbert College football team dominated the third quarter to pull away for a 44-18 Midwest Conference win over Lawrence University on Saturday at the Banta Bowl.
St. Norbert (2-1, 2-0 MWC) led 23-18 at the half, but the Green Knights scored on back-to-back possessions in the third quarter to pull out to a 37-18 lead with 4:39 left in the third quarter. St. Norbert added another touchdown early in the fourth quarter to seal the victory.
Quarterback Bryan Stoppenbach completed 14 of 18 passes for 214 yards, and Dante Sims ran 17 times for 104 yards to pace the St. Norbert rushing attack. Lawrence quarterback Nick Maxam completed his first 16 passes en route to hitting on 28 of 37 for 341 yards, three touchdowns, and two interceptions. Derek Micke caught seven passes for 98 yards and a touchdown to lead Lawrence (0-2, 0-2).
In a wild first half, St. Norbert built a 16-6 lead before the Vikings marched 69 yards in six plays to cut the lead to 16-12. Micke caught a 1-yard scoring pass to complete the drive. The Green Knights then drove to the Lawrence 1-yard line before linebacker Jake Runde knocked the ball from Sims. The fumble was recovered by Lawrence's Brian Janssen.
It took Lawrence only three plays to march 97 yards for a touchdown to take the lead. Micke caught a 22-yard pass and then went 44 yards with a reception on the next play. Jeremiah Johnson then caught a 31-yard touchdown pass on the next play to give Lawrence an 18-16 lead.
The lead was short-lived, as Rob Berger hit Jeremy Gezella with a 59-yard touchdown pass on the next play from scrimmage to give St. Norbert a 23-18 lead at the half. Gezella caught six passes for 176 yards and two touchdowns.
St. Norbert went up 30-18 when the Green Knights went 80 yards in nine plays for a touchdowns midway through the third quarter. Todd Sheedy ran it in from five yards out for the score. After three plays and a Lawrence punt, St. Norbert went 75 yards in six plays for another touchdown. Stoppenbach hit Sheedy with a 20-yard scoring pass to put St. Norbert up 37-18.
Ben Hackbart paced the St. Norbert defense with 10 tackes, including a sack. Jeff Nichols and Mike Gostisha had nine tackles apiece, and Gostisha had a game-high five tackles for loss.
Lawrence returns to action next Saturday when it hosts Grinnell College.