TOPEKA, Kan. — The Washburn Ichabods fell for the first time this season in a 21-13 loss to the Nebraska-Kearney Lopers on Saturday afternoon dropping to 2-1 on the season. The Ichabods will be back in action on Saturday at Missouri Western.

The Lopers were forced to punt on their first possession and the Ichabods turned the ball over on downs to open the game. It was on the third series of the game the Lopers moved the scoreboard taking a 7-0 lead with 8:54 to go in the first.

Washburn next possession stalled out at the UNK (2-1, 2-1 MIAA) and Kameron Lake put the Ichabods on the board with 1 38-yard field cutting cutting the lead to 7-3 by the Lopers.

The Lopers then marched 75 yards in four plays as they went up 14-3 after an 18-yard touchdown pass wrapping up the scoring in the first half as the Ichabods were outgained 176 to 30.

Neither team would score until the Lopers went up 21-3 with 5:07 to play in the half. The Ichabods then scored again using their longest drive of the year - a 17-play 87-yard drive capped by a 22-yard field goal by Lake at the half.

Washburn cut the lead to 21-13 on its first drive of the second half as Hunter Browning capped a 75-yard drive with a 1-yard run with 8:29 to play in the third quarter.

The teams traded punts ending the third quarter and on the third play of the fourth quarter, UNK fumbled heading into the end zone on a forced fumble by Jordan Finnesy returning the ball back to the Ihabods with 13:31 to go in the game after review confirmed the call.

However the ichabods were forced to punt and then again the teams went back and forth with punts returning the ball to the Lopers for the final 7:00 of the game as UNK converted three third downs and a fourth down conversion to run out the clock ending the game snapping the Ichabods eight-game winning streak in Yager Stadium.

Washburn was outgained by the Lopers 375 to 247 in the game as the Lopers rushed the ball for 243 compared to 102 for the Ichabods.

Taylor Peters had 70 yards on the ground for the Ichabods on 18 carries and Kellen Simoncic was 19 of 37 for 145 yards. James Letcher, Jr., had six catches for 60 yards.

Grant Bruner had 11 tackles to lead the Ichabods and Landen Urban had six tackles with a sack and two tackles for loss.

TJ Davis had 74 yards rushing and 132 in the air adding two scores for the Lopers.