VALPARAISO, Ind.  – The University of Dayton football team went on the road to Valparaiso University Saturday and scored 41 points in the first half alone en route to the victory.

The Flyers (5-1, 3-0 PFL) remain unbeaten in Pioneer Football League play while the Beacons (1-5, 0-2 PFL) drop their fifth game in a row.

GAME RECAP
1^st Quarter – Dayton 14, Valparaiso 0

• Dayton got the ball first and didn't take long to march down the field with a 56-yard pass to junior running back Mason Hackett, putting the ball at the Valpo eight-yard line.
• Redshirt sophomore Bryce Schondelmyer then found senior Dominic Vrbancic in the back of the end zone for the opening touchdown.
• The Flyer defense stepped up on the other side of the field and forced a turnover on downs by the Beacons on their first possession of the contest.
• On Dayton's following drive, a handoff to junior Gavin Lochow went for 46 yards on the first play to put UD in the red zone once again. That set up a field goal attempt for the Flyers, which they were unable to convert.
• On the first play of the Beacons' next drive, the pass sailed high and into the arms of safety Mac Grant III, who proceeded to run it back for the pick-six. That put the Flyers up 14-0 midway through the opening quarter.
• Valpo was able to move the ball down the field and had more first downs than Dayton, but was unable to get it into the end zone, even missing its field goal attempt.
• UD led by two scores despite only having the ball for less than four minutes of possession.

2^nd Quarter – Dayton 41, Valparaiso 0

• The Flyers and Beacons both settled in defensively with both teams getting a stop on their first possessions of the second quarter.
• It was the other half of the Dayton running back duo in junior Luke Hansen who did most of the work as the Flyers drove down the field, getting inside the Beacons' 10-yard line as the clock ticked under nine minutes. Schondelmyer then hit redshirt sophomore Donovan Weatherly in the flat for a four-yard touchdown reception, making it 21-0.
• UD kept its foot on the gas though as redshirt junior Eli Kirk put a helmet on the ball of the Valpo receiver and it was recovered by redshirt sophomore linebacker Joe Kingsbury in Dayton territory.
• A big pass play to redshirt sophomore Ethan Thulin then set up a one-yard touchdown rush by Hackett, pushing Dayton's lead to 27-0.
• After another Valpo punt and a short field, Hansen rushed it in for his first touchdown of the game, capping off a four-play, 37-yard drive over 1:56. That made it 34-0 with 2:32 to play.
• The Flyers piled on another touchdown right before the half with a 20-yard reception from Schondelmyer to redshirt sophomore Michael Mussari.

3^rd Quarter – Dayton 41, Valparaiso 0

• Valpo got the ball first to start the second half and punted for the fifth time in the game. Dayton was unable to move the ball on its first drive as well, and punted it away.
• The first penalty wasn't committed until the 11:42 mark, but it was offsetting and did not count towards the game. On the next play, Kirk recorded his first interception of the season and ran it back to the Valpo 41-yard line.
• It was then time for some of the second-string players to get live-action reps, coming into the game with just over 11 minutes to go in the quarter.
• Valpo almost scored its first touchdown of the game, but Kirk got his arm in there at the last second to break up the completion. That held the Beacons to another punt at the 6:32 mark.
• Dayton got the ball back with its second fumble recovery when redshirt sophomore Brandon Martin came out of the pile up with the ball and 3:02 on the clock.
• The Flyers utilized the ground game to eat up the clock and send it to the fourth.

4^th Quarter – Dayton 41, Valparaiso 10

• The fourth started the same way the third ended with Dayton eating up the clock and Valpo trying to just get some positive plays going.
• While not committing a penalty in the first half, the Flyers then had three penalties on one drive alone as the Beacons neared the red zone with plenty of time still to go.
• Valpo finally managed to get on the board with a 25-yard passing touchdown at the 9:24 mark.
• The Beacons also added a late field goal with two seconds left to give them double digits.
• Dayton was satisfied with running the ball the rest of the way and earned its third PFL victory.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS
49-14 – Dayton has outscored opponents 49-14 in the first quarter this season, including shutting out the opposing team four of the six opening quarters.
0 – There were zero penalties in the first half by either team. The first actual penalty took place at the 9:13 mark in the third, an illegal touch by Valpo.
15-0 – Bryce Schondelmyer has now thrown 15 touchdowns on the season to zero interceptions. He finished the game 15-of-22 for 202 yards and three touchdowns.
27 – Dayton scored 27 points in the second quarter alone.
8 – Luke Mitchell, Sam Schmiesing, and Vincent Firenze each had eight tackles in the game to lead the Flyers.

UP NEXT
The Flyers will return home to host Butler University in PFL action on Saturday, Oct. 18 at 12 p.m. at Welcome Stadium. It will also be the Alumni Game for Dayton Football.

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