Box Score Entering the game as the leading offensive team in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, it took until the fourth quarter for UW-Stevens Point to enjoy success against the league's top defense in a 31-13 loss Saturday at second-ranked UW-Whitewater.

The Warhawks' defense limited the Pointers to just 47 yards through three quarters in building a 31-0 advantage en route to its 15th straight regular season victory and a 5-0 record this year. UW-Stevens Point fell to 2-3 overall and 0-2 in the WIAC and has suffered all three losses to teams ranked in the top 10 of the NCAA Division III rankings.

UW-Stevens Point got off to a strong start, forcing the Warhawks to punts after three-and-outs on their first two possessions. UW-Stevens Point's Cody Childs (Poynette/), the league's leading rusher entering the game, rushed for 10 yards and a first down on the Pointers' first offensive play. However, that turned out to be one of the Pointers' few offensive highlights for the first three quarters. In fact, Childs finished the day with 26 yards on 21 carries after averaging 138.8 yards through the first four games.

Later in the first quarter, UW-Whitewater faced a third-and-five from its own 15-yard line when Justin Jacobs found Derek Stanley down the right sideline for a 32-yard pass play. A roughing the passer penalty and a late hit out of bounds added 30 more yards onto the play and Travis Reuland finished the drive with the first of his three touchdowns on a one-yard run.

UW-Stevens Point's Eric Reible (Waunakee/) returned the ensuing kickoff 75 yards to the Warhawks' eight-yard line. The Pointers moved the ball to the two-yard line, but Ryan Graboski (Woodbury, Minn./Woodbury) missed a 20-yard field goal.

UW-Whitewater added two touchdowns in the second quarter, getting a four-yard pass from Jacobs to Pete Schmitt and then another one-yard run by Reuland that was set up by a 47-yard pass to Matt Gifford down to the one-yard line for a 21-0 halftime lead.

Reuland, who scored on his first three carries, added a third one-yard touchdown score early in the third quarter and Jeff Schebler kicked a 27-yard field goal for a 31-0 lead.

Pointers' junior quarterback Nick Venden (Columbus/Columbus) took over in the second quarter for injured starter Brett Borchart (Huntly, Ill./) and led the fourth quarter rally. Venden started the comeback with an 87-yard touchdown pass to Luke Gunderson (Iola/Iola-Scandinavia) for the fifth-longest pass play in school history. After a Warhawks' punt, he drove the Pointers down the field again and then lofted a perfect pass to Brad Kalsow (Huntley, Ill./Huntley), who leaped between two defenders for a 13-yard touchdown catch in the corner of the endzone. A missed extra point put the deficit at 31-13 midway through the final quarter.

Venden finished the day nine-for-15 passing for 172 yards as the Pointers totaled 171 of their 218 yards in the fourth quarter. UW-Whitewater finished with 383 yards as Justin Beaver had 25 carries for 146 yards rushing. Jacobs was 16-for-26 passing for 181 yards.

Brandon Czys (Mauston/) led the Pointers' defensive effort with 15 tackles. Luke Frisch (Nekoosa/Nekoosa) posted the third-highest single-game punting average in Pointers' history with a 46.2 average on five punts, including a 70-yarder.