HAYS, Kan. -- The Washburn Ichabods were not able to overcome two special team miscues and four turnovers in a 30-24 loss to Fort Hays State. The Ichabods will be back in action Sept. 22 when they will face Central Missouri at 1 p.m. on Family Day in Yager Stadium.

With 1:09 to play in the game, Austin Tillman gave the Ichabods (1-2, 1-2 MIAA) life as he returned a FHSU (2-1, 2-1 MIAA) pass 63 yards for a touchdown cutting the Tiger lead to 30-23, but the Ichabods were called for an illegal block on the onside kick and the Tigers ran out the final 67 seconds to hang on for the win.

Washburn took the early lead as Perry Schmiedeler connected on a 43-yard field goal with 4:30 into the game staking the Ichabods to a 3-0 lead. The points pushed his career total to 230 moving him into fifth all-time at Washburn.

On the ensuing drive, the Tigers marched 75 yards in nine plays going up 7-3 with 5:47 to play in the first quarter and would stretch the lead to 14-3 with 1:19 to play in the first quarter. The first score was set up as the Ichabods fumbled a punt return setting up the Tigers at the WU 33 yard line.

Washburn cut the lead to 14-10 on a 20-yard touchdown pass from Blake Peterson to Jake Horner capping a 65-yard drive with 12:27 left in the first half.

The Tigers took advantage of another miscue on special teams as a roughing the kicker call on the Ichabods kept a Fort Hays State drive alive and the Tigers would go up 20-10 with 5:44 to play in the half after the extra point was blocked by Corey Ballentine.

Washburn was outgained 178 to 145 in the first half while the Ichabods were 1 of 8 on third down conversions.

To open the second half, the Tigers used a nine-play, 50-yard drive capped by a 42-yard field goal by Dane Brown as FHSU pushed its lead to 23-10 with 10:46 to play in the third quarter.

Neither team scored in the third quarter as they combined for 95 yards (32 for the Ichabods) and only five first downs.

The Tigers pushed the lead to 20 on a 17-yard touchdown pass from Jacob Mezera to Jacoby Williams with 9:45 to play taking advantage of an Ichabod turnover on the previous Ichabod series.

Washburn scored in the third quarter on a 1-yard dive by Hunter Browning taking advantage of a Tiger roughing the passer call with 6:30 to play in the game cutting the Tiger lead to 30-17.

Derrick McGreevy led the Ichabods with 16 tackles. Tillman finished with a sack and the 63 yard interception return for a score adding six tackles as did Heath Tucker.

Blake Peterson finished 12 of 26 for 124 yards and one score while rushing for a team-high 55 yards averaging 6.9 yards a carry. 

James Brania-Hopp had eight catches for 96 yards to lead the Ichabods.

Overall, Washburn held the Tigers to 295 yards outgaining FHSU 299 to 295 overall. The Tigers had 19 first downs compared to 15 for the Ichabods. Both teams struggled on third down as they combined 7 of 33 conversions as Washburn was 4 of 17 overall. Washburn was called for eight penalties for 82 yards while the Tigers were whistled five times for 23 yards.