LINCOLN –  Two defensive touchdowns within seven seconds of each other in the 4^th quarter sealed a season-ending 51-27 victory for the Nebraska Wesleyan football team over Loras College on Senior Day Saturday (Nov. 12) at Abel Stadium.
 
Loras was driving inside the 5-yard line looking to cut the lead to three points, but the Duhawk quarterback fumbled the ball and NWU defensive end Tyler Sorensen picked the ball up and rumbled 85-yards for the touchdown.  On the first offensive play of the next drive for Loras, senior linebacker Joe Dinan intercepted the pass and sprinted 31 yards into the end zone to seal the victory.
 
NWU finishes the 2016 season with a 4-6 overall record, while Loras ends the year at 1-9.
 
The Prairie Wolves got off to an impressive start building up a 24-0 lead in the first half.  Kramer Rath started the scoring with a 31-yard field goal to make the score 3-0.  Loras fumbled the ensuing kickoff giving NWU prime field position.  Ben Green capped the drive with a 1-yard QB sneak to put NWU ahead 10-0 after the first quarter.
 
In the second quarter, the NWU offense put together two more impressive drives.  Austin Ruskamp scored on a 11-yard run to cap a 14-play drive midway through the second.  Later, Green found his favorite target Ryan Schneider for a 24-yard TD as he broke tackles to reach the end zone.
 
Loras scored a TD right before halftime to make the score 24-7 at the break.
 
NWU went ahead 31-7 early in the 3^rd quarter as Green connected with Bradley Pelkey for a 23-yard touchdown pass.  Things looked like smooth sailing the rest of the way.
 
However, Loras responded with back-to-back third quarter touchdowns to cut the lead down to 31-21.  The Prairie Wolves quickly responded as Green had his longest run of 36-yards to get into Duhawk territory.  On a 4^th & 4 play, he hooked up with Schneider again who took the pass 24 yards for a score.  The PAT snap was mishandled making it 37-21.
 
The Duhawks got a big 76-yard TD run from Zach Minch in the 4^th quarter to cut the lead down to 37-27.  After forcing NWU to punt, Loras mounted another drive getting into the redzone.  Loras had the ball 1^st & goal at the five yard line, but NWU made two defensive stops, then got the force fumble by Eli Bricker that bounced into Sorensen's hands for the first defensive TD of the season.
 
Nebraska Wesleyan finished with 441 yards of total offense, compared to 489 for Loras.  The Prairie Wolves ran for 200 and passed for 241 with two turnovers.  Loras was hurt by four interceptions and two lost fumbles as NWU scored 28 points off of turnovers.
 
Ben Green closed his career with his second straight three-TD passing performance.  Green was 17-30 for 241 yards with no interceptions.  He also rushed for a career-high 83 yards and a TD.
 
Ryan Schneider had another huge game receiving with seven catches for 159 yards and two touchdowns, his first career 2-TD game.  Austin Ruskamp was very impressive getting his first start at running back on Senior Day filling in for the injured Joel Wiedel.  Ruskamp ran the ball 22 times for 112 yards with a TD to close out his career.
 

 
Tanner Boggs led the NWU defense with 11 total tackles.  Preston Franzen finished with nine tackles and an interception.  Eli Bricker had eight tackles, 1.0 QB sack, 2.0 TFL, a forced fumble and an interception.
 
This was the final game for 21 Nebraska Wesleyan senior football players, as they led NWU into the first season of Iowa Conference action.