ST. CHARLES, Mo. – The Washburn Ichabods opened the 2018 season with a 27-14 win over Lindenwood on the road. The Ichabods will open the home slate on Sept. 6 against Northwest Missouri in Yager Stadium starting at 6 p.m.

The Ichabods held the Lions to 85 total yards in the second half pitching a shutout after taking a 17-14 lead into the locker room after Perry Schmiedeler connected on a 19-yard field goal. Schmiedeler moved into the top spot on the Ichabod kick scoring chart recording his 217^th point of his career passing Chad Todd who had 210 from 1998-2000. Schmiedeler's 217 points ranks sixth overall on the scoring chart.

Washburn jumped on the board first with a 7-0 lead on a Blake Peterson's 3-yard touchdown run on the Ichabods' second drive of the season capping a six-play, 63-yard drive. The 3-yard plunge was set up by a Peterson to James Brania-Hopp 41-yard connection down to the Lion three yard line.

The Lions came back on the ensuing drive to tie the score on a 4-yard run with 12:48 left in the first half finishing off an 83-yard drive in 15 plays and would take the lead at 14-7 with 6:34 to go in the half after forcing an Ichabod three-and-out.

Washburn took the kickoff and marched 67 yards in 12 plays converting three third down conversion attempts and a fourth down attempt as Curtis Whitten recorded his first collegiate touchdown with a 1-yard run knotting the score at 14-14 with 1:46 to play in the half. The Ichabod defense would then hold the Lions to another three-and-out and Washburn moved into the half capping a 78-yard drive on Schmiedeler's 19-yard score sending Washburn to a 17-14 halftime lead.

On the Lion's first drive of the second half, the Ichabods defense forced Lindenwood into a punt and James Letcher, Jr., returned it 51 yards setting the Ichabods up at the Lion 10 yard line and two plays later Peterson scrambled from nine yards out to put Washburn up 24-14. Letcher, Jr., finished with five punt returns for 122 yards averaging 24.4 yards per return.

Neither team would score until 48 seconds left in the third quarter when Schmiedeler hit a 45-yard field goal staking the Ichabods to a 27-14 lead. The Ichabod defense limited the Lions to 35 yards of offense in the third quarter including -1 rushing yards.

The Ichabods and Lions combined for six punts and two interceptions in the fourth quarter including a Washburn interception by Alvin Houston at the Lion 27.

Washburn (1-0) held the Lions to 262 yards in the shutout during the second half and were led by Austin Tillman's 15 tackles (8 solo) and a fumble recovery while Derrick McGreevy had 11. Heath Tucker forced two fumbles in the win as the Ichabods had nine tackles for loss including a team-high 2.0 for 8 yards by true freshman Braden Rose.

Whitten led the Ichabods on the ground with 49 yards on 12 carries and Peterson finished with 45 yards. Brania-Hopp had four catches for 89 yards and Letcher, Jr. had four grabs for 43 yards en route to 204 all-purpose yards.