AVE MARIA, Fla. - The Lawrence Technological University football team got out to a 13-0 lead before trailing 20-13 early in the third quarter. The Blue Devils regained the lead, 25-20, on the last play of the third but were unable to hold on, falling to the Gyrenes 26-25 on Saturday evening.

First Half

• On their second possession of the game, LTU started with good field position at the Ave Maria 44 and scored four plays later on a 4-yd TD pass to Kendyl Williams.
• The Blue Devils scored again early in the second as Keone Sanders found pay dirt on an 8-yd run, as this time the extra point was good to give LTU a 13-0 lead.
• The Gyrenes answered quickly on a 2-play drive with passes of 45 and 30 yards, the latter going for six, as Ave Maria trimmed the margin to 13-7 with 11:54 left in the half.
• After stopping LTU on 4^th and 1 at their own 32, Ave Maria took their first lead of the contest on a 6-yd TD pass with 2:59 remaining in the second as the Gyrenes held a slim 14-13 lead at halftime.

Second Half:

• On their second possession of the half, Ave Maria rushed one in from 7-yds out to cap off a 4-play drive, however this time their point after attempt failed, Ave Maria 20-13.
• LTU would go 3 & Out on its next possession but Ave Maria failed to capitalize, missing a 34-yd field goal, their second miss of the evening.
• The Blue Devils put together arguably their best drive of the night, going 80 yards in nine plays as Tyler Kulka found Jalen Wallace for a 12-yd pitch and catch to cut the margin to 20-19 but the two-point conversion failed as 7:29 remained in the third quarter.
• The LTU defense forced a fumble on the next Ave Maria possession, giving the Blue Devils the ball at the Gyrenes 34.
• After a 16-yd run by Sanders down to the Ave Maria 1, Kulka punched it in on the QB sneak to regain the lead for LTU 25-20 as the two-point conversion failed.
• Tommy Lappin intercepted Ave Maria on the LTU 16 to halt the Gyrenes' first drive of the fourth quarter however, the Blue Devils went 3 & Out to give the ball to the home team.
• Starting on its own 35-yard line, Ave Maria drove it 65-yds over 11 plays, capping off the drive with a 21-yard touchdown run to go ahead by one, 26-25, with 7:02 left in the game.
• LTU responded with an 11-play drive of its own, but its 26-yard go-ahead field goal attempt was blocked with 1:40 remaining as Ave Maria took three knees to hold on for the 26-25 win.

Inside the Numbers:

448: Total yards of offense for LTU
144: Rushing yards for LTU, 4.0 yards per carry
Kulka: 25-35, 305 yards, 3 TDs (1 rush)
Sanders: 11 rushes, 51 yards, TD
Williams: 5 rec, 81 yards, TD
Lappin: 8 tkls, INT
 
What's Next:
 
Lawrence Tech has a bye next week before returning to MSFA play on Saturday, September 17^th when it heads to St. Ambrose for a 2 pm kick.