DE PERE – St. Norbert College got a big special teams play and then rode its defense to a 21-14 non-conference win over Loras College at Schneider Stadium.
 
The Green Knights (1-0), who led 7-0 at halftime, fell behind 14-7 late in the third quarter after the Duhawks (0-1) converted a short field into a touchdown. Joe Jung then returned the ensuing kickoff 95 yards to bring St. Norbert back to even at 14-14 with 2:34 left in the third quarter.
 
St. Norbert then held Loras to minus-6 yards of total offense in the fourth quarter and flipped the field in its favor to set up the game-winning score.
 
Loras took over at its own 20 with 9:26 left and got to its own 31 but then lost 19 yards on the next three plays back to its 12-yard line. Following a short punt, St. Norbert took over at the Loras 45-yaard line. Ben Kohl went 23 yards on a keeper to put St. Norbert in striking distance. Following a short run, Kohl scampered 15 yards down to the Loras 6. Following another short run, Kohl kept the ball and powered into the end zone from four yards out and a 21-14 lead.
 
Just two plays from scrimmage later, Loras quarterback Noah Sigwarth was strip sacked by Jake Berken, who recovered the fumble at the Loras 44 with 3:12 to go. The Green Knights then rushed seven consecutive times to run out the clock.
 
Neither team could get much going in the first half until Jung intercepted a Sigwarth pass at the Loras 30 with 1:58 left in the second quarter. Three plays later Kohl got loose for a 28-yard touchdown run for the first half's only score.
 
Both teams traded three-and-outs to open the second half. Loras then mounted a 12-play, 85-yard drive and scored on a 7-yard touchdown pass from Sigwarth to Marty McGovern with 8:09 left in the third quarter. Late in the period a bounding punted ball touched a St. Norbert cover man and Loras recovered at the Green Knights' 16. Three plays later Sigwarth scored from 5 yards out to take a short-lived 14-7 lead.
 
St. Norbert outgained Loras 241-206 in total offense with each team registering 13 first downs. The Green Knights rushed for 180 yards, with Kohl rushing 20 times for 116 yards and two touchdowns. Kohl was 7-for-23 for 61 yards passing, with Parker Lawrence catching two passes for 43 yards.
 
Sigwarth was 17-for-31 with 167 yards but was sacked six times by the St. Norbert defense.
 
Berken finished with eight tackles with a whopping six tackles-for-loss, three sacks and one forced fumble with a recovery. Jung added seven tackles along with an interception and pass defended.