DAYTON – Ave Maria scored the first touchdown, and the University of Dayton Flyers scored the next seven in Dayton's 49-7 win Saturday afternoon at Welcome Stadium.
UD rolled up 488 yards in total offense – 264 through the air, 224 on the ground – while the holding Ave Maria to 199, with 90 coming in the first quarter.

Dayton finishes non-conference play 2-1, while Ave Maria falls to 1-2.

GAME RECAP
1st Quarter – Dayton 14, Ave Maria 7
•    Ave Maria could not have scripted a better start.
•    After holding Dayton to a three-and-out, the Gyrenes drove 72 yards in eight plays to take a 7-0 lead just over six minutes into the game.
•    The Flyers answered with a 71-yard connection from Drew VanVleet to Gavin Lochow.
•    UD took advantage of a 16-yard punt to create a short 35-yard scoring drive.  H-back Cade Beam finished it off with a four-yard run from the Wildcat formation.
•    All four Dayton possessions were just three plays, but two of them ended in touchdowns.
2nd Quarter – Dayton 28, Ave Maria 7
•    The Flyers kept the ball for almost 10 minutes in the second period.
•    UD needed six plays to go 77 yards for its next score.
•    Five of the six plays were running plays, including the last one – a 23 yard TD dash by Mason Hackett.
•    Dayton then went on an impressive 16-play, 80-yard drive that ended on Mason's one-yard plunge.
3rd Quarter – Dayton 42, Ave Maria 7
•    UD kicked the ball to Ave Maria to start the second half, but kept the Gyrenes off the board.
•    Dayton then drove 77 yards in nine plays, with true freshman Tyler Brown scoring his first college touchdown from nine yards out.
•    After a three-and-out, the Flyers needed 14 plays to go 71 yards.
•    The TD came on VanVleet's last play of the day, a 13-yard pass to Ethan Thulin for his first career score.
4th Quarter – Dayton 49, Ave Maria 7
•    Ave Maria punted the ball to Dayton on the final play of the third quarter, and the Flyers kept the ball more than half of the quarter (7:33 to be exact) before turning the ball over on downs at the Gyrene eight-yard-line.
•    Four plays later, Logan Foody blocked the Ave Maria punt, Eli Kirk picked up on the two and easily reached the end zone for the final Flyer score.
•    Ave Maria punted once more and five Dayton runs later, UD had its second win of the season.

BY THE NUMBERS
•    Dayton quarterbacks combined to complete 20 of 24 passes (.833) for 264 yards.
•    Drew VanVleet was 16 of 210 for 239, with two TD without playing a down in the fourth quarter.
•    Liam Poronsky completed his first four collegiate passes for 25 yards.
•    Graduate transfer Jadyn Nirschl also saw his first action at quarterback for the Flyers.
•    In addition to VanVleet and Poronsky, 10 other Flyers carried the ball – Mason Hackett, Tyler Brown, Will Cohen, Dillon Fitzpatrick, Ty Stylski, Cade Beam, Sean Banks, Levi Moell, Luke Hansen and Gavin Lochow.
•    Hackett was the game's top ground gainer (12 carries for 89 yards, 7.4 avg. and two TD). 
•    Right behind was Brown with 11 rushes for 68 yards (6.2 avg.)
•    Eleven UD players caught passes –Lochow and Ethan Thulin each pulled in three, Jake Coleman, Brown, Chase Holmes, Leroy Lewis IV, and Luke Brenner each had two, and Donovan Weatherly, Beam, Paul Kelly and Hansen all caught.
•    Lochow was the top pass catcher, gaining 100 yards and on his three receptions with a touchdown and 41 yards-after-catch.
•    Ca'Ron Coleman led UD with seven tackles (five solo), with a tackle-for-loss and a pass batted down.
•    Gideon Lampron added six (three solo) with two TFL and a sack.
•    Punter Logan Forcum only punted twice (both in the first quarter) but average 45.0 yards per boot, and neither was returned.

UP NEXT
•    Dayton plays its 2024 Pioneer Football League opener next Saturday, Sept. 28 at Marist.  
•    UD is back home on Saturday, Oct. 12 against Davidson.  
•    Kickoff for both games is at 12 Noon ET.