By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
The Washburn Ichabods fell 27-21 at Nebraska-Kearney Saturday, with a combined 28 points being scored in the final 15 minutes of the game.
Washburn freshman quarterback Sam Van Dyne passed for 378 yards and three touchdowns in Saturday's 27-21 MIAA loss at Nebraska-Kearney. [Photo courtesy of Washburn Athletics]
The Ichabods (1-4 overall, 0-4 MIAA) trailed 6-0 at halftime.
After a scoreless first quarter the Lopers took a 6-0 lead midway through the second quarter.
In the third quarter, the Lopers (2-3, 2-3) blocked a Washburn punt and one play later UNK went up 13-0 with 8:42 to go in the period.
Washburn answered with a score on its next possession when freshman Sam Van Dyne hit Connor Searcy for a 9-yard touchdown pass with 3:56 to go in the third, trimming the Loper lead to 13-7.
In the fourth quarter, Josh Grant picked off a UNK pass at the Washburn 6-yard-line, but the Ichabod drive stalled to force a punt.
On the second play of the ensuing drive, UNK scored on a 42-yard pass play with 12:51 to go in the game stretching its lead to 20-7.
On the Ichabods' next drive, Washburn drove to midfield, but an Ichabod fumble was returned 35 yards for a score with 9:28 to go.
Down 27-7, Washburn then went on a 16-play, 70-yard drive to trim the margin to 13 at 27-14 after Van Dyne hit Maury Sullivan for a touchdown pass with 3:05 to go.
The Ichabod defense held the Lopers on a fourth and one play with 67 seconds to play in the game and then Van Dyne hit D.J. Bell for a 54-yard touchdown strike with 41 seconds to play as WU cut its deficit to 27-21.
Lining up for an onside kick, Gavin Wilhelm's kick bounced off a Loper returner, and after a scrum, the Lopers recovered and ran out the clock.
The Ichabod defense held the Lopers to 261 yards on 50 plays while the Ichabods ran 82 plays for 421 total yards.
Van Dyne passed for a career-high 378 yards and three touchdowns, completing 30 of 45 attempts, but was sacked six times in the game.
Triston Johnson had five catches for 106 yards. On the ground Taylon Peters had 14 rushes for 50 yards.
L.J. Minner, Mason Capper and Daniel Chavez all had four tackles for the Ichabods.
Jake Zeller averaged 52 yards per punt on three attempts, including an 81-yard punt which was the third-longest in program history behind a pair of 87-yard punts.
Washburn returns to action net Saturday when it will host Missouri Western at 3 p.m. in Yager Stadium.
