University of Dayton Athletics

DAYTON – The University of Dayton football team celebrated Senior Day on Saturday with a convincing 35-6 win over Marist.  Thirty veteran Flyers and their families were recognized in pre-game ceremonies, and at halftime, fifth-year wideout Derek Willits was named the 66th recipient of the Lt. Andy Zulli Memorial Award.  Every available senior player saw action in the game.

The Dayton defense came up with five turnovers and the six points were the lowest of the season by a UD foe.  Senior linebacker Nathan Arthur led the way with a career-high 14 tackles, with two TFL and one sack.  Corner Cam Cope had two interceptions.

While it was the seniors' day, a pair of true freshman led the way on offense.  Luke Hansen, starting in place of the injured Michael Neel, carried the ball 17 times for 111 yards (6.5 avg.) and two TD.  Quarterback Drew Van Vleet completed 21 of 30 passes for a career-best 228 yards and two more scores in his fourth career start.

Dayton improves to 3-7 overall and 1-6 in the Pioneer Football League.  Marist is now 4-6 and 4-4.

GAME RECAP
1st Quarter – Dayton 0, Marist 0
•    The two teams exchanged punts on their first possessions.
•    Marist got it going on its second series, driving 60 yards on 10 plays until Cam Cope picked off a pass at the two and returned it to the 25.
•    Dayton moved the ball to the Marist seven-yard-line by the end of the quarter.
•    Stats were nearly as even as the score, with 73 yards in total offense for Dayton and 71 for Marist.
•    The two teams had four first downs apiece, and each punter even had one punt for 44 yards to their credit.
2nd Quarter – Dayton 14, Marist 0
•    On the first play of the second quarter, UD fumbled the ball at the goal line.
•    Flyer offensive guard Zachary McDowell, another true freshman, recovered the fumble, setting up Luke Hansen's one-yard TD run to open the scoring.
•    Dayton forced a three-and-out and penetrated the red zone, but fumbled it back to the Red Foxes.
•    Marist moved into Dayton territory, but UD safety Matt Lenti forced a fumble and fellow safety Logan Miller recovered it at the Flyer 36.
•    Dayton drove 64 yards in six plays, scoring when Drew Van Vleet hit Sam Bubonics on post in the back of the end zone.
•    The Red Foxes threatened again, but on first and goal at the UD six-yard-line linebacker Aiden McKinley forced a fumble and safety Luke Mitchell recovered it to end the threat.
Third Quarter – Dayton 21, Marist 6
•    The Flyers took the second-half kickoff, and after a 36-yard return by Gavin Lochow, drove 57 yards in seven plays to go up 21-0.  Van Vleet hit Jake Coleman in the corner of the end zone for a 22-yard TD.
•    Marist got on the board with 3:09 left in the third after a 65-yard, seven-play drive, but missed the PAT.
•    Like the first quarter, Dayton drove right down inside the 10 as the quarter ran out.
•    Hansen gained 62 of his 111 yards in the third quarter.
4th Quarter – Dayton 35, Marist 6
•    Hansen took it in from the one on the first play of the fourth quarter to make the score 28-6.
•    Josh Anderson came up with his first career interception on the next series.
•    UD closed out the scoring when Logan Davis scored from 11 yards out at the 5:39 mark.
•    Cam Cope grabbed his second interception of the day with 2:08 left in the game.

BY THE NUMBERS
•    Luke Hansen ran for a career-best 111 yards on 17 carries (6.5 avg.) with two touchdowns.
•    Drew Van Vleet completed 21 of 30 passes for a career-best 228 yards, with two TD and one interception.
•    Van Vleet completed passes to nine different receivers, led by Jake Coleman's seven catches for 84 yards (including a team-best 32 yards-after-catch).
•    The Flyer offensive line plowed the road for Dayton runners to average 5.4 yards per carry, and Van Vleet was not sacked in the game.
•    Linebacker Nathan Arthur led the UD defensive effort with a career-high 14 tackles (7 solo), with 2.0 TFL, 1.0 sacks and a pass break up.
•    Matt Lenti and Aiden McKinley were next with nine hits.  Both also had a forced fumble.
•    Sam Schadek had 1.5 sacks in the game.
•    Gavin Lochow returned two kickoffs for 59 yards (to go with five pass receptions for 49 yards).
•    Punter Logan Forcum averaged 43.7 yards a punt, with a long of 53 (his career best).  Two of his three punts were inside the 20.

UP NEXT
•    Dayton will finish the season at Davidson next Saturday, Nov. 18.
•    Game time is 7 p.m. ET.