Lake Erie took on suffered the Southwest Baptist Bearcats this weekend for the home opener at Jack Britt Memorial Stadium. It was a close, hard-fought game until the very end but the victory ultimately fell to the Bearcats. This marks the Storm's first loss of the season and ends non-conference play for the year.

Backup quarterback, Xavier Bullock got the start for the Storm, efficiently contributing both in the air and on the ground. 

Southwest Baptist would get on the board first to give them an early 7-0 lead.

Lake Erie would respond the next drive with seven points of their own, scored on a 35-yard pass from Bullock to Nate Dantley.

Bullock would again score once more in the quarter with a 26-yard run putting the Storm up 14-7.

Southwest Baptist would tie up the game mid-second quarter but the Storm would once again respond immediately when Bullock would connect with Josh Hufstetler for a two-yard touchdown. The extra point would be missed putting Lake Erie up 20-14 to close out the first half.

The Bearcats would take the lead on their first drive of the third quarter, putting them up 21-20, and extend their lead again later in the quarter for a 28-20 lead.

With under a minute left in the game, Bullock would turn the ball over and seal the victory for Southwest Baptist.

Bullock would total three total touchdowns on the day, two in the air and one on the ground, finishing 21-37 for 222 yards in addition to 69 rushing yards.

Dantley would pull in 67 receiving yards and a touchdown and Devin Brown would rush for 53 yards.

On the defensive side, Cameron Grodhaus led the team with 10 tackles and Johnny Nolen Jr. would add the Storm's only turnover of the game, a crucial forced fumble in the 4th quarter.

The Storm will be back at Jack Britt Memorial Stadium Saturday, October 2 at 3:00 PM as the Findlay Oilers come into town for each team's first G-MAC game of the year.