STORM LAKE, Iowa (Oct. 28, 2023) - Junior Eman Alaniz hauled in a career-high 10 catches, 143 yards and three touchdowns for Buena Vista on Saturday, but it wasn't quite enough as Loras College added a pair of late touchdowns to pull away for a 49-21 victory.

Both teams battled through snowy conditions all game, including temperatures under 32 degrees. The Duhawks took advantage of the more favorable conditions early in the contest and struck quick with a pair of touchdown passes to grab a 14-0 lead.

The Beavers then settled in and used a 12-play, 73-yard drive that used up nearly six minutes and ended in a 14-yard touchdown strike from junior quarterback Zach Herrera to Alaniz right across the middle of the field.

Loras responded with an 11-play drive that was capped by a two-yard quarterback keeper, but the extra-point was missed, and it was 20-7 with 55 seconds left in the opening quarter.

The Duhawks extended their lead to 28-7 midway through the second quarter and looked to add to it going into the half but missed right on a 24-yard field goal attempt as time expired.

Buena Vista received the second half kickofft, and with the field covered in snow and the yard-lines disappearing, the Beavers went 48 yards in five plays before Alaniz went across the middle of the field on a seam route and hauled in a 27-yard touchdown catch to pull the team within 28-14.

BVU got the ball right back after forcing the Duhawks into a three-and-out, but the punt was downed inside the 10 at the BVU eight yard line. The Beavers also had to punt from deep in their own territory after a three-and-out, and the Duhawks would take over at the Beaver 40. Six plays later and forcing a fourth-and-eight, quarterback Evan England found Da'Mani Brown for a 25-yard touchdown reception in the back of the end zone that made it 35-14.

Following three straight punts and a turnover on downs by Loras, Alaniz capped his hat trick with a diving five-yard touchdown catch in the back of the endzone with 4:17 remaining in the game that made it a 35-21 contest.

The Duhawks, however, took the ensuing kickoff and marched right back down the field in only five plays, capped by an 18-yard touchdown run. A sack fumble and scoop and score on BVU's next drive gave Loras its final touchdown.

Loras finished with 168 yards rushing and 209 more through the air for 377 total yards of offense. BVU, which held the ball for nearly 10 minutes longer than the Duhawks in the game, had 191 yards passing while adding 72 more on the ground.

Herrera completed 13-of-24 pass attempts for 191 yards and the three scores. Alaniz hauled in 10 of those grabs and now has 35 catches and five receiving touchdowns on the year. Back-up quarterback Caleb Green rushed 23 times for 80 yards.

England was 18-of-33 for 209 yards and three touchdowns to lead Loras (4-4, 3-3 A-R-C). All three passing scores went to Brown, who hauled in eight catches for 123 yards. England also added 61 yards on the ground with two more touchdowns. Jamel Britt rushed for a team-high 65 yards on 16 carries and one touchdown.

Trey Ortman helped lead BVU on the defensive side with seven tackles while Matthew Beisswenger and Treyton Mahler added six apiece. Beisswenger also chipped in with a pair of pass breakups and blocked the PAT while punting six times for an average of 31.3 yards, including a long of 51 yards.

Buena Vista is now 1-7 overall (1-5 A-R-C) and travels to Central College (6-2, 4-2 A-R-C) next Saturday for a 1 p.m. kickoff.