PAINESVILLE, Ohio – Ohio Dominican's offense was kept in check for most of the game as the football team suffered a 30-15 defeat at Lake Erie College in GLIAC South Division action Saturday afternoon at Jack Britt Memorial Stadium.

Lake Erie held a slim 10-9 lead entering the fourth quarter before scoring 20 unanswered points to put the game away.

With the setback, ODU fell to 2-6 on the season (2-6 GLIAC), while the Storm improved to 2-7 (2-6 GLIAC).

The Panthers had the ball inside Lake Erie territory six times in the first three quarters but only had three field goals by Chris Vortkamp (Cincinnati, Ohio) to show for it.

Jeremy Fudge (Eaton, Ohio) led ODU with 121 yards passing and 60 rushing before leaving in the fourth quarter with an injury. He was taken to a local medical center for precautionary measures.

Mike Noffsinger (West Branch, Mich.) ran for 68 yards and Tyler Maddox (Lewistown, Ohio) had a career high 12 catches for 70 yards as the Panthers finished with 313 yards of total offense.

Several defenders had career highs in tackles, led by Vincent Vasquez (Delray Beach, Fla.; pictured) with 17 tackles and Jason McCurdy (Columbus, Ohio) with 15. Manju Jabbie (Westerville, Ohio) also made 12 tackles as ODU forced four Lake Erie turnovers.

Ohio Dominican trailed 10-6 at the break but took over its first possession in the second half in Storm territory after a bad punt snap by Lake Erie. Noffsinger's 18 yard run brought the Panthers to the Storm 15, but the Panthers had to settle for a field goal by Vortkamp to cut the deficit to 10-9.

James Dews (Upper Marlboro, Md.)' interception in the end zone stopped Lake Erie's second drive of the half, but the Panthers couldn't move the ball on offense and were forced to punt. Kameron Alexander's one yard TD run capped an 89 yard touchdown drive to make it 17-9 less than two minutes into the fourth.

Lake Erie tacked on two short touchdown drives later in the fourth, one coming after an interception and the second after a punt return to the ODU 14 to seal the victory. The Panthers scored their lone points of the quarter on a one yard TD run by Billy Griffin (Columbus, Ohio).

Ohio Dominican ran 47 plays and controlled the ball for 19:52 in the first half but could only come away with two field goals to show for it.

The offense had a methodical opening drive after being backed up on its own six-yard line on the kickoff. The Panthers ran 18 plays, converted on three third down conversions and picked up six first downs total before stalling at the Storm 27 yard line, and Vortkamp's 44 yard field goal into the wind sailed just wide right.

Lake Erie answered with a 14-play scoring drive as Sam Marcotte connected on a 25-yard field goal to make it 3-0 with 3:05 left in the first. The Panthers had one first down but were forced to punt on their next possession, and Lake Erie's Akeem Solomon blocked it and returned it 25 yards for the touchdown moments before the end of the quarter.

The Storm threatened to score again, but McCurdy's interception and 49 yard return off a tipped pass ended their drive and set the Panther offense inside Storm territory. ODU picked up one first down and Vortkamp capped the drive with a 42 yard field goal to make it 10-3 with 9:32 to play in the half.

ODU's defense forced another stop, and the Panthers were quickly on the move again. Fudge took a draw play up the middle and cut down the far sideline for 25 yards, and that set up Vortkamp's 37 yard field goal from the left hash to cut the deficit to 10-6 with 4:56 to play.

Once again, the Panther defense held, and ODU took possession of the football at the Lake Erie 47 after Brandon Robinson's (Eaton, Ohio) 10 yard return. However, the Panthers turned it over on downs at the Storm 24 with 45 seconds left.

But Miguel Davis (Baltimore, Md.) picked off a pass and took it to Lake Erie's 41, and the Panthers had the chance to draw within a point, but Vortkamp's 38 yard attempt was blocked to keep it 10-6 at half.

Ohio Dominican returns to Panther Field next Saturday for its final home contest, a noon kickoff against Ashland.