OTTAWA, Kan. – Just one week after posting an NAIA-best 86 points, the Southwestern College football team gave up 82 points to nationally-ranked Ottawa Saturday afternoon. The Moundbuilders dropped the contest, 82-21, on the turf at Peoples Bank Field in Ottawa.

Tanner Strohl and Brady Keith each ran for 69 yards in Saturday's contest. Strohl achieved his 69 yards on seven carries, while Keith carried 12 times and scored two of Southwestern's three touchdowns. Senior quarterback Brady May finished 12-for-21 for 71 yards in the game. Joe Vargas caught five passes for 38 yards, while Grant Trembly added three catches for 22 yards.

The Moundbuilders finished with just 285 yards of total offense, while allowing Ottawa to amass 676 offensive yards. The Braves limited Southwestern to just 15 total offensive yards in the contest.

Ottawa, which entered the game ranked No. 13 in the NAIA, struck first, and did so in just over a minute. Jeff Lundy barreled into the end zone to give the Braves a 7-0 lead. Just over four minutes later, a 17-yard touchdown run gave the Braves a 14-0 lead with 9:10 still to play in the opening period.

Southwestern broke the shutout when May capped a 12-play, 53-yard drive with a keeper to trim the Ottawa lead to 14-7 with 1:31 to play in the first quarter. The Moundbuilders demonstrated their own quick-strike ability early in the second quarter. Senior Lorenzo Fouts returned a fumble 42 yards, and gave Southwestern the ball on the Ottawa 38 yard line. One play later, Brady Keith sprinted to the end zone from 38 yards out. Chris Mayer's extra point tied the game at 14:14 with 13:45 to play in the second quarter.

But in just one play, Ottawa regained the lead. Josh Stangby returned the ensuing kickoff 59 yards, and put the Braves back in front, 21-14, with 13:33 still to play in the opening half. Southwestern was forced to punt on its next possession, and Ottawa struck again on its next possession. The Braves put together a five-play, 55-yard scoring possession to push its lead back to two touchdowns at 28-14 with 11:48 to play in the opening half.

The Moundbuilders responded with a nine-play, 76-yard drive that ended when Keith found the end zone from four yards out, and pulled Southwestenr back to within striking distance at 28-21 with 8:54 to play in the half.

From that point forward, the Southwestern offense was quiet, and the Ottawa offense flustered the Moundbuilder defense. The Braves scored 17 unanswered points in the final eight minutes of the half, and held a 45-21 halftime lead.

Ottawa didn't miss a beat in the second half. While the Braves' defense limited Southwestern to just 15 total offensive yards in the second half, Ottawa scored 37 second-half points, and sent the Moundbuilders back to Winfield with an 82-21 loss.

Saturday's loss drops Southwestern to 4-4 on the season, and 3-3 in KCAC play. Southwestern will return home Saturday, hosting the Spires of the University of Saint Mary. Kick-off is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. inside Richard L. Jantz Stadium.

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