LINCOLN, Neb. – A tough University of Dubuque defense held the Nebraska Wesleyan offense in check all game long and the Spartans came into Abel Stadium defeating the Prairie Wolves 42-7 on Senior Day to close out the 2019 season.
 
NWU was held to a season-low 161 yards of total offense in the season finale for 14 seniors.  Dubuque was able to control the ball on offense behind a strong run game mixed in with effective passing to pile up 388 yards.
 
Dubuque scored on the opening possession of the game marching 77 yards in 12 plays taking 6:40 off the clock and converting a 4^th down play with Sean Duffy finding Adam Rothas in the back of the end zone on a 15-yard TD pass.
 
The Prairie Wolves put together their second longest drive of the game when they took over the ball, but turned the ball over on downs at the Spartan 32-yard line.  Dubuque took advantage and scored again going 68 yards capped by Duffy throwing his second TD pass of the game.
 
NWU mounted their most successful drive of the game when they got the ball back, going 63 yards in seven plays.  Colby Ensz took a shovel pass from Jontathan Curti and followed great blocks to rumble 18 yards for a touchdown.
 
That touchdown pass was the 31^st of the season by Curti, which broke his own school record.
 
From there, NWU managed just 53 yards the rest of the game on 46 plays.  They had only 45 yards in the second half, and also committed turnovers that made the game out of reach.
 
Dubuque got a 4-yard touchdown run right before halftime making the score 21-7 at the break.
 
In the second half, the Spartans blocked a punt and returned it for a touchdown in the 3^rd quarter.  Dwayne Allen Jr got a 6-yard TD run and Kordell Stillmunkes ran 15 yards for a score to finish the scoring.
 
NWU lost two fumbles, threw two interceptions and had a blocked punt in the game.  The tough Spartan pass defense ramped up the pressure in the second half and finished with five sacks in the game.
 
Curti closed his career going 15-36 for 135 yards with a TD.  He ends his storied career with 8,703 pass yards and 84 touchdowns, both school records.
 
Derrick Curtis caught four passes for 47 yards to finish his career in the top five all-time in receptions, yards and touchdowns.
 
Jacob Garnas led the Prairie Wolves defense with 13 total tackles to go over 100 tackles a second straight year. Kaden Dawe made 10 stops, also giving him over 100 tackles this season.