APPLETON, Wis. — The St. Norbert College football team used a solid defensive effort in the second half to hang on for a 17-6 victory over Lawrence University on Saturday at the Banta Bowl.
In a scheduling quirk, the game counted as a Midwest Conference game for the Green Knights (6-1, 6-0 MWC), but it was a nonconference game for Lawrence (0-6).
St. Norbert limited Lawrence to only 88 yards of offense in the second half, and the Green Knights got a late field goal to seal the victory.
Zach Broberg ran 19 times for 86 yards to pace the Green Knights. Quarterback James Tringali was 13 of 27 passing for 177 yards, one touchdown and one interception. Brian Fliess caught six passes for 103 yards and a touchdown for St. Norbert.
Lawrence quarterback Luke Barthelmess completed 16 of 26 passes for 190 yards for the Vikings. Dan Dubnicka had game highs with seven catches for 110 yards for Lawrence.
Sam Wagner was impressive on defense for the Vikings, who limited St. Norbert to 319 yards. Wagner had a game-high 14 tackles, including one sack and 4.0 tackles for loss. Dan Taylor picked up 10 tackles for Lawrence, and Trevor Spina recorded his first career interception.
Lawrence got on the board in the second quarter by taking advantage of a short punt. The 23-yard punt gave Lawrence the ball at the St. Norbert 41-yard line, and the Vikings got a key pass completion to Dubnicka at the St. Norbert 18. Sam Wagner then hauled in a pass at the St. Norbert one-yard line, and Dalton Sendelbach punched it in the end zone on the next play for a 6-0 lead.
St. Norbert answered two possessions later when Tringali hit Fliess with a 41-yard scoring pass, and the Green Knights led 7-6 at the half.
The Green Knights took the opening possession of the second half and moved 57 yards in eight plays for a touchdown. Broberg ran it in from three yards out, and St. Norbert led 14-6.
Lawrence only managed to get into St. Norbert territory twice in the second half, and the Green Knights added a 30-yard field goal from Randy Hill with 2:22 left to seal the victory.
Lawrence returns to action next Saturday when it travels to Monmouth College.