ST. PAUL, Minn. – The University of Dayton football team fell 32-9 in its first-ever trip to St. Thomas on Saturday.  Dayton scored the first three points of the game, but St. Thomas scored the next 32 points to gain a Senior Day win.

Dayton ends the season 6-5 overall, and 4-4 in the Pioneer Football League.  St. Thomas is 6-6 and 5-3 in the PFL.

GAME RECAP
1st Quarter – St. Thomas 7, Dayton 3
•    Dayton struck first, thanks to the defense setting up the offense with a short field.
•    Aiden McKinley came up with a strip sack and Gideon Lampron recovered the fumble at the St. Thomas 19-yard line.
•    Five plays later, Danny Baker booted a 24-yard field goal to give UD a 3-0 lead.
•    After the two teams exchanged punts, the Tommies drove 78 yards in nine plays, with running back Hope Adebayo scoring on an 11-yard run.
2nd Quarter – St. Thomas 25, Dayton 3
•    Dayton was held to a three-and-out and a 33-yard punt gave St. Thomas the ball at the 50.
•    Six plays later, STU quarterback Tak Tateoka hit Colin Chase for a 42-yard TD with 12:44 left in the half.
•    Dayton would commit three turnovers in the final 12 minutes of the half.
•    One-minute-and-12 seconds after the second Tommie score, 34-yard scoop-and-score (with a two-point conversion) gave them a 22-3 lead.
•    Despite UD not getting into St. Thomas territory and throwing two interceptions, the Flyer defense allowed just a Tommie field goal the rest of the half.
3rd Quarter –St. Thomas 25, Dayton 3
•    The Flyer defense forced a three-and-out on the first series of the second half.
•    Dayton was able to penetrate into the red zone for the second time in the game, but turned it over on downs at the STU 11-yard line.
•    St. Thomas was able to move the ball deep into Dayton territory, thanks in part to back-to-back major penalties on UD, but safety Luke Mitchell ended the threat with his first career interception in the end zone.
4th Quarter – St. Thomas 32, Dayton 9
•    The Tommies scored with 14:18 left in the game, completed an eight-play, 66-yard drive that began in the third quarter.  Abedayo scored on third-and-goal from the one.
•    Dayton again turned the ball over on down on the STU half of the field on its next possession.
•    The Flyer defense forced another three-andf which were passes to Jak Coleman.
•    That included the last one, a 13-yard TD to Coleman from Drew VanVleet.
•    The last two times Dayton had the ball resulted in turnovers – a fumble on a punt return and an interception with 1:20 to go.

BY THE NUMBERS    
•    St. Thomas held the advantage in total offense 275 to 226, and in first downs 17-16.
•    UD gained 116 yards in the fourth quarter.
•    Dayton committed five turnovers.  In the Flyers' four PFL losses, they had a total of 15 turnovers.
•    UD was held to a season-low 28 yards rushing.  
•    Drew VanVleet was 23 of 43 passes for 198 yards, with one TD, three interceptions and five sacks.
•    Jake Coleman ended his career with a career-best 10 catches for 107 yards.
•    Ca'ron Coleman completed a brilliant career with nine tackles (6 solo), with 2.0 TFL
•    Gideon Lampron also had nine tackles (five solo) with 2.0 TFL, a sack and a fumble recovery
•    Aiden McKinley added seven tackles, two sacks, 2.0  TFL and a forced fumble.
•    Paul Kelly returned three punts for 59 yards.
•    Dayton's six wins were a two win improvement over last season, and gave the Flyers 44 winning seasons in the last 47 campaigns.