PLATTEVILLE – Lakeland University again took its passing game on the road with success but couldn't counter the University of Wisconsin-Platteville's balanced attack in a 56-22 loss Saturday night at Ralph E. Davis Pioneer Stadium.

The Muskies fell into a 28-0 hole and could never dig all the way out despite making a push in the second quarter, falling to 1-2 overall. UW-Platteville came in ranked 10th nationally in NCAA Division III and remained perfect at 3-0 this season.

Lakeland moved the ball well through the air once again, with Michael Whitley (Sr.-Vidalia, La.) passing for 305 yards and three touchdowns to lead an offense that gained 24 first downs. Whitley now has 1,155 yards passing through three games, an average of 385.0 yards per game early this year.

Platteville proved difficult for the Muskies to stop, though. The Pioneers gained 516 yards of total offense, 286 on the ground, and completed 8 of 14 third downs. Even more damaging, UWP converted all five times it went for it on fourth down, including twice scoring touchdowns on fourth-down plays.

Lakeland did get off to a slow start offensively, punting on its first four drives, and that was all the opening the Pioneers needed to get off to a quick start. The hosts went 62 and 81 yards on their first two drives to build a 14-0 lead, and then took advantage of short fields on their next two drives to score touchdowns on both and lead 28-0 after Wyatt Thompson's nine-yard run with 10 minutes, 6 seconds left in the second quarter.

The Muskies started to turn the tide soon after, driving 76 yards before a drive ended at the UWP 4, but they got on the board one play later when Isaiah Vance (So.-Zion, Ill.) broke through and tackled quarterback Tyler Blang in the end zone for a safety. Lakeland then needed just five plays to go 76 yards and got on the board when Whitley hit Dezmon Eddie (So.-Alexandria, La.) for a five-yard touchdown to make it 28-8.

The Muskies were back on offense again soon after, as Oman Smothers (Fr.-Gadsden, Ala.) intercepted Blang on UWP's next offensive play. Whitley then needed to complete just three passes to get in the end zone again, the final going to Jody Harrison (Sr.-Pontiac, Mich.) for 16 yards and making it 28-14.

UW-Platteville stemmed the tide just before halftime, though, with one play making a big difference. On 3rd-and-15, Blang found Mark Johnson for a 42-yard touchdown pass, giving the Pioneers a 35-14 halftime lead.

Lakeland only could cut into that lead slightly in the second half, when Whitley connected with Allante Gardner (Jr.-Detroit, Mich.) for a four-yard touchdown, the wideout's first score as Muskie. Dezmen Morse (Sr.-Milwaukee, Wis.) then caught the ensuing two-point conversion pass from Whitley to make it 42-22 late in the third quarter.

That's as close as Lakeland would get, though, as the Pioneers controlled the ball for almost all of the fourth quarter. Platteville went on drives of 12 and 14 plays, hogging a combined 13:24 off the clock and both ending in touchdowns to leave the Muskies out of time.

Whitley completed 28 of 47 passes and also rushed for 45 yards, while Morse led the receivers with nine catches for 98 yards. Harrison also added five catches for 46 yards.

Diante Moses (Jr.-Houston, Texas) led the defense with 11 tackles (five solo, six assisted). Donte Rowell (Sr.-Chicago, Ill.) added 10 tackles (six solo) and Eddie Strickland (Jr.-Racine, Wis.) also made a career-high eight tackles and broke up two passes.

Sean Studer rushed for 118 yards and two touchdowns to lead UW-Platteville, which rushed on 55 of its 77 offensive plays, including 22 of 26 plays over its final two drives. Johnson also was a tough cover, catching nine passes for 155 yards and three touchdowns.

Lakeland will play on the road for the third straight game next week, facing Concordia University Wisconsin. The Muskies will open Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference play with the Cheese Bowl on the line for the 26th time at 1 p.m. in Mequon.

Muskies by the numbers:
2:19 - Time it took Lakeland to score three times in the second quarter, with a safety and two touchdowns to cut a 28-0 deficit to 28-14
3 - Interceptions this season for freshman Oman Smothers in his first three games as a collegian
7 - Consecutive games with at least 300 yards passing by Whitley, dating back to last season
14 - Career 300-yard passing games for Whitley
20:22 - Time of possession for UW-Platteville in the second half
73 - Yards receiving by Muskies running backs (Eldrada Meeks-41, Dezmon Eddie-32)
1,596 - Career receiving yards for Dezmen Morse, who surpassed 1500 yards in his career