CRESTVIEW HILLS, Kentucky -- Lake Erie played its first road game of the season on Saturday in a matchup between two 0-4 teams, grinding out a hard-fought 21-15 victory. After falling behind 5-0 early thanks to a safety and field goal from the Saints, the Storm clawed back to take a 7-5 lead at halftime and pushed it to 14-5 early in the third quarter. Thomas More responded, storming back to grab a 15-14 lead heading into the fourth, but a defensive scoop-and-score by linebacker Christian Idoma swung momentum back to Lake Erie, and the Storm never looked back. Now 1-4, they'll look to build on this momentum—particularly their defensive play and third-down execution—as they prepare for Northwood next week.

Game Recap

Lake Erie won the coin toss and deferred to the second half, kicking off to the Saints. TMU returned the opening kickoff to its own 46-yard line, but the Storm defense held. On the ensuing possession, special teams hurt Lake Erie when a punt pinned them at their own one-yard line. With little room to operate, they managed just five yards before a difficult punt operation resulted in a safety. TMU then marched 62 yards on nine plays but settled for a 26-yard field goal.

The Storm answered with a drive of their own, moving from their 31 to the Saints' 31 before turning it over on downs on a 4th-and-3 attempt. Three straight three-and-outs (two by TMU, one by Lake Erie) gave way to the second quarter, when the Storm finally broke through. Two defensive personal fouls extended the drive, and quarterback Wrentie Martin found Makhi Jackson for a 21-yard touchdown. Kicker Enrique Olmos converted the PAT, giving Lake Erie a 7-5 lead with 11:49 left in the half.

The Storm defense forced another three-and-out, but the offense quickly gave the ball back. TMU looked poised to answer, converting a 3rd-and-14 with a 33-yard pass, but missed a 42-yard field goal. Another big chance came late in the half after another 30-yard completion, but a key sack by Dae'Yuan Thompson-Green shut the door, and the Storm took their 7-5 lead into the break.

Lake Erie struck quickly in the third quarter. On 3rd-and-10, Martin connected with Ali Lee Jr. for a 51-yard gain. A holding penalty set up 3rd-and-19, but Martin again came through, finding Jackson for 24 yards. Senior Jordan Smith capped the drive with a one-yard touchdown run, making it 14-5.

The Storm defense then made a statement. After a seven-yard sack from Quinterrius Jemison, Anthony Anderson picked off a deep ball for his first interception of the year. The offense couldn't capitalize, though, and TMU responded with a 62-yard touchdown pass to cut the deficit to 14-12. Moments later, Lake Erie threw an interception deep in its own territory, giving the Saints a prime chance to take control.

The Storm defense held firm, forcing a 33-yard field goal that gave TMU its first lead, 15-14. Lake Erie's offense responded with a long, 13-play drive lasting more than six minutes, but Olmos missed a 48-yard field goal attempt. With momentum up for grabs, the defense delivered the biggest play of the game. A forced fumble was scooped up by freshman linebacker Christian Idoma, who rumbled 30 yards for a touchdown—the team's first defensive score since the season opener against Ferris State.

Now leading 21-15, the Storm defense stood tall again. TMU earned two quick first downs but stalled on 4th-and-9 at the LEC 33. A strong punt pinned Lake Erie at its own one-yard line with under four minutes left. Runs from Julian Means-Flewellen and a personal foul penalty helped the Storm escape the shadow of their end zone, and they punted the ball away with 94 seconds left, trusting their defense one last time. The unit sealed it in style with four straight incompletions, locking down Lake Erie's first win of the season.

The Matchup

Lake Erie first faced Thomas More in 2018, falling 44-0. The Saints also dominated in 2023 (44-6), but last year's 28-25 loss showed how competitive the Storm had become, with two manageable missed field goals proving costly. Saturday's victory brings the all-time series to 3-1 in favor of the Saints.

Looking Ahead

The Storm will remain on the road next Saturday at noon against Northwood (4-1), winners over Northern Michigan, Saginaw Valley, Thomas More, and Ohio Dominican, with their lone loss coming to Ashland. The Timberwolves are led by redshirt sophomores QB Ethan Hamby and WR Case Boos (2nd in the G-MAC in receiving yards), along with senior RB Devin Brown (4th in yards rushing).

Northwood ranks first in the conference in fewest penalties (23 in five games) and is the only team without an interception thrown. On the defensive side, they've recorded seven total interceptions, with senior Cole Simpson responsible for three of them—tied for the most in the G-MAC. He also ranks top ten in tackles across the conference. Special teams could factor in as well—kicker Drew Cady hit a 50-yard field goal earlier this year but is coming off a game where he missed from 45 and 40.