The No. 3 ranked University of Wisconsin-Whitewater football team took advantage of big plays at opportune moments Saturday in a 31-14 victory at eighth-ranked Salisbury (Md.) in a match-up of nationally ranked non-conference foes.
 
The Warhawks (2-0 overall) scored 17 unanswered points in a 10-minute span over the third and fourth quarters to take control of a close contest.
 
Quarterback Max Meylor (Mt. Horeb, Wis./Mt. Horeb) finished 16-of-23 for 227 yards and four touchdowns. Wide receiver Ryan Wisniewski (Sparta, Wis./Sparta) caught five passes for 129 yards and two scores, and wide receiver Tyler Holte (Elgin, Ill./St. Edward Central Catholic) totaled five receptions for 54 yards and one touchdown.
 
Running back Alex Peete (Ringwood, Ill./Johnsburg) rushed 18 times for 86 yards and caught a 10-yard touchdown pass.
 
Defensive back Jaden Hendrickson (Hollandale, Wis./Pecatonica) paced the defense with six tackles. Defensive lineman Mackenzie Balanganayi (Palatine, Ill./Palatine) posted five tackles, including one sack, and forced one fumble, and defensive back Kyle Koelblinger (Crystal Lake, Ill./Prairie Ridge) collected five tackles and one pass breakup.
 
UW-Whitewater held the ball for more than 33 minutes during the game to limit the Sea Gulls' potent triple-option offensive attack. The Warhawk defense held Salisbury to 2-of-10 on third down and registered four sacks.
 
After a fourth-down running play inside the UW-W 15-yard line was stopped for no gain by Balanganayi and linebacker Julian McPhail (Palmer, Alaska/Colony), the Warhawks drove 88 yards in 12 plays for the first score of the game. Keyed by a 29-yard run by wide receiver Sam DeLany (Delafield, Wis./Kettle Moraine), Meylor hit Holte on third down for a 12-yard touchdown to give UW-Whitewater the lead with 6:58 left in the second quarter.
 
Following a punt by Salisbury (1-1), Meylor hit a wide-open Wisniewski on the first play of the ensuing drive for a 70-yard touchdown to make it 14-0 with just over two minutes remaining in the first half.
 
The Warhawks took the ball to start the second half, but were forced to punt. The Sea Gulls found the end zone in five plays to cut the UW-W lead in half with 8:54 to play in the third quarter.
 
UW-Whitewater responded by converting three third downs during a nine-play, 65-yard drive, including a 34-yard touchdown from Meylor to Wisniewski on third-and-18 to put the Warhawks ahead 21-7 at the 2:42 mark of the period.
 
UW-W tacked on 10 more points thanks to Meylor's 10-yard touchdown pass to Peete 20 seconds into the fourth quarter and a 36-yard field goal by kicker Kacper Lupa (Fitchburg, Wis./Madison West) following an interception on the previous drive by linebacker Shane McGrail (Plainfield, Ill./North).
 
Salisbury scored on a fumble return to account for the final margin.
 
The Warhawks host Berry (Ga.) next Saturday, Sept. 18, at 12 p.m. at Perkins Stadium.