OWENSBORO, Ky. – The Lake Erie College Storm football team took the field on the road, Saturday, September 10, to face the Kentucky Wesleyan Panthers in Owensboro. The Storm would hold on to win the game by a final score of 26-21.

The game got off to a slow start for both teams as it remained scoreless until midway through the second quarter. With the Panthers backed up on their own 13-yard line, they would fumble the football which would be recovered by senior Nathan Aguayo at the KWC 20. Senior Raphael Jones Jr. would punch it up the middle three plays later for a 12-yard touchdown and give the Storm a 7-0 lead after the extra point attempt by senior Justin Smith.

But this would just be the beginning for Lake Erie.

After a quick three an out on defense, the Storm offense would get back to work and march down the field in 12 plays and score again. This time when senior Gerald Gardner would find junior wideout Jovohn Tucker for a 16-yard touchdown.

With a 14-0 lead at the half, the Storm looked like they were finally finding a groove.

After receiving the ball to start the second half, the Storm would quickly give it right back four plays later and the anthers would get on the board seven plays later to cut the Lake Erie lead in half, 14-7.

However, Storm would answer right back with Raphael Jones Jr. punching it right up the middle again for a touchdown. A failed extra point attempt would make their lead 20-7 and they would take that into the fourth quarter of play.

Halfway through the fourth quarter, the Panthers would line up for a 35-yard field goal attempt. Senior Jayon Blair would time it perfectly and manage to block the field goal, which would be scooped up by junior Cameren Grodhaus and returned 73 yards where he would be taken down at the Kentucky Wesleyan seven-yard line.

A five-yard penalty and an 11-yard rushing loss would back the Storm up to the KWC 18 with 3rd and goal. This is when Jones Jr. would rush right and break loose for an 18-yard score, giving the Storm a 26-7 lead after a failed two-point conversion.

With all the momentum shifted towards the Storm with six minutes remaining in the game, Kentucky Wesleyan would prove to not go down easy. In just a minute, they would score, cutting the lead down to 26-14. Lake Erie would be forced to punt on offense and the Panthers would again score in just a minute, making the Storm sweat with 1:58 left to play and their lead down to just 26-21.

Lake Erie would run the ball out and give it back to the Panthers with 16 seconds left but that would not be enough time and the Storm would come away with a 26-21 victory.

Jones Jr. would complete the day with 97 yards on the ground and three touchdowns, while Nate Dantey would rack up 129 yards through the air on 11 receptions.

Grodhaus led the way for the Storm defense with a team-high 10 tackles and an interception.

The win improves the Storm's record to 1-1 on the season and gives them a 1-1 conference record as well, placing them in the middle of the Great Midwest Athletic conference standings. Lake Erie will be back in action on Saturday, September 17 at home for their homecoming game against McKendree at 6 PM.