MEQUON – Concordia University Wisconsin pried the Cheese Bowl trophy away from Lakeland University for the first time since 2013, topping the Muskies 17-0 Saturday afternoon at Tomasini Stadium.

The Falcons snapped the Muskies' four-game win streak in the series and also ended Lakeland's 10-game winning streak in Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference play. Concordia also gained a leg up on the Muskies in the conference standings, improving to 2-0 in the NACC (4-1 overall) while Lakeland is now 1-1 in conference.

Injuries continued to take a toll and miscues caught up with the Muskies (1-4 overall), who started their third different quarterback in five games. Freshman Nick Broder (Elkhart Lake, Wis.) made his first collegiate start, and the Plymouth High School product completed 25 of 38 passes for 206 yards with one interception and also rushed for 33 yards.

Lakeland committed five turnovers in the game, though, including four fumbles lost. Three drives also ended on downs deep in Concordia territory, and a total of seven drives ended in Falcons territory.

Both teams got off to a slow start, with the Muskies fumbling on their second drive but then stopping the Falcons on downs on a fourth down sack by Sam Bartlett (Jr.-Racine, Wis.) and Chase Mitchell (Fr.-Minden, La.). Concordia struck first soon after, though, when a nine-play, 80-yard drive ended with Jacob Mason's 22-yard field goal early in the second quarter.

Lakeland followed with a drive of 73 yards and 15 plays down to the CUW 4, but Dwayne Rackard intercepted Broder in the end zone on second-and-goal to stop the drive. Rayshion Brumfield (Fr.-Ponchatoula, La.) intercepted Concordia quarterback Aaron Nixon on the ensuing drive, but the Falcons scored later when a 43-yard drive ended with Nixon connecting with Josh Sanders for a four-yard touchdown to make it 10-0 late in the second.

Concordia then took advantage of the Muskies' third lost fumble, going 24 yards in three plays with Nixon finding Sanders again for a 17-yard scoring pass making it 17-0 with 7:39 left in the third quarter. The score would remain that way the rest of the way, despite Lakeland having terrific opportunities on its final three possessions.

The Muskies drove deep into Falcon territory with long drives going much of the length of the field on each of their final three possessions. A 15-play, 72-yard drive ended on downs at the CUW 27, though; a second drive went 13 plays and 64 yards and ended on downs at the hosts' 16-yard line, and Lakeland's final drive went 67 yards in seven plays but ended with an incomplete pass on fourth-and-1 from the Falcons' 10-yard line.

Yards were tough to come by for both teams, with Concordia outgaining Lakeland slightly, 324-307. The Muskies were held to 101 yards rushing but also limited the Falcons to 112 yards passing. Lakeland also finished with a 20-15 advantage in first downs, but was just 3 of 16 on third downs.

Eldrada Meeks (Sr.-Southfield, Mich.) led the Muskies rushing with 16 carries for 54 yards. Jamal Hawkins-Sconiers (Sr.-St. James, Mo.) caught a career-high eight passes for 82 yards and Dezmon Eddie (Jr.-Alexandria, La.) added five catches for 48 yards.

Diante Moses (Sr.-Houston, Texas) paced the defense with a career-best 13 tackles (eight solo) and Bartlett also added a career high with 12 tackles (seven solo), including 1.5 sacks and a forced fumble.

Nixon completed just 10 of 21 passes for 112 yards for Concordia, but he also rushed 16 times for Jordan Edwards also added 19 carries for 77 yards, and the Falcons averaged 4.6 yards per play on the ground.

Lakeland is back home next week when it welcomes Rockford University for a 1 p.m. kickoff at Taylor Field.

Muskies by the numbers:
2 - Times the Muskies have been shut out in conference play now since the NACC's first season in 2008. The only other time came in the final game of the 2014 season (a 16-0 loss to Benedictine)
3 - Third down conversions in 16 attempts for Lakeland
8 - Career single-game high for receptions in a game for Jamal Hawkins-Sconiers
13 - Career high for tackles in a single game for Diante Moses
27 - Times Lakeland and Concordia have played for the Cheese Bowl
43 - Combined number of plays on the Muskies' three longest drives of the game
152.4 - Yards passing per game Lakeland is allowing, best in the NACC
206 - Yards passing for Nick Broder in his first collegiate start