The fourth-ranked University of Wisconsin-Whitewater football team dropped their season opener to Saint John's University, ranked fifth according to d3football.com, in Collegeville, Minn. Saturday afternoon. 

The Warhawks, who also saw a 10-game non-conference win streak come to an end, held the advantage in the ground game and the defense forced eight three-and-outs in the contest, but a few mistakes proved costly down the stretch. 

Whitewater's defense came out strong forcing a three-and-out in SJU's first drive before the team's traded interceptions. Kyle Koelblinger (Crystal Lake, Ill./Prairie Ridge) halted the Johnnie drive deep in Warhawk territory picking off the SJU quarterback at the five-yard line with 9:34 left in the first quarter. UW-W picked up a first down but two plays later, a bad snap caromed into the endzone for a safety giving SJU a 2-0 lead. 

Once again, the Warhawk defense held for a three-and-out to bring the offense back out on the field at their own 31. Makaio Harn (New London, Wis./New London) opened the drive with a 15-yard scamper up the middle. Three plays later, on third and 8 from the UWW48, Evan Lewandowski (Buffalo Grove, Ill./Lake Zurich) hit a diving Tyler Holte (Elgin, Ill./St. Edward Central Catholic) down the right side for a 36-yard completion. Following a short gain, a penalty pushed Whitewater back to the SJU 21 and the drive ended up stalling. On fourth and eight, Nate Custer (Chippewa Falls, Wis./Chippewa Falls) came out to hit the 31-yard field goal giving the Warhawks a 3-2 lead with 1:39 left in the quarter. 

That score held until late in the second quarter when the Johnnies capitalized on a fumble recovery at the Warhawks 28. Five plays later, SJU's Aaron Syverson found Alex Larson in the left side of the endzone for the first touchdown of the day. The extra point gave the Johnnies a 9-3 lead. 

With less than three minutes before the end of the half and starting at their own 25, the Warhawks put together one of their best drives of the day. UW-W marched 68-yards in 10 plays bolstered by another 36-yard Lewandowski-Holte connection to setup a field goal with two seconds on the clock. The 24-yard attempt sailed wide right sending the teams into halftime with SJU maintaining a 9-6 lead. 

Receiving the second half kickoff, the Warhawks would recapture the lead on their first drive. Tamir Thomas (Menomonee Falls, Wis./Menomonee Falls) was tapped for the carry on four straight plays in the middle of the drive. Thomas trounced 11-yards on his first attempt before bursting through the middle and breaking tackles for a 47-yard gain. Adding seven more in his next two carries, Thomas had the Warhawks down to the SJU four-yard line. Lewandowski took the next snap out of the shotgun, rolled right, surveying the field until he found Holte wide-open in the endzone for UW-W first touchdown of the season. Custer's extra point gave Whitewater a 10-9 lead with just over 11 minutes to go in the third. 

On Whitewater's next drive, a bad snap found its way into the endzone for a second safety and an 11-10 SJU lead. The Johnnies would hold the lead the rest of the way. 

Later in the quarter, Egon Hein (St. Charles, Ill./North) broke-up a SJU pass attempt to force a third-and-out, but a muffed kick on the punt had a Johnnie coming up with the loose ball at the UWW 17. Saint John's capitalized on the miscue scoring on a short pass just two plays later. 

The final score of the contest came early in the fourth quarter on a nine-yard connection between SJU's Syverson and Larson. Tegan Christiansen (Janesville, Wis./Craig) jumped the point after, registered the block and picked up the loose ball returning it 36-yards before he was brought down at the UWW 41. 

Lewandowski was 17-31 for 176 yards adding an interception and the touchdown pass to Holte. Thomas led UW-W in the ground game with 75 yards on seven carries. Holte hauled in six catches for 100 yards and a TD to lead the wide receiver corps. 

Koelblinger led the Warhawk defense with six solo tackles, a forced fumble and an interception. Hawk Heffner (Grafton, Wis./Grafton) also tallied six tackles including four solo and two assisted. For the game, the Whitewater defense forced nine SJU punts. 

The Warhawks continue their tough non-conference slate Saturday, September 10 against top-ranked Mary-Hardin Baylor at Perkins Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for 12 p.m.