The St. Ambrose defense did all it could to take down No. 15 Roosevelt. But the offense sputtered against the nationally-ranked Lakers in a 17-3 loss Saturday afternoon at Brady Street Stadium.

Facing a team that was averaging more than 40 points a game, SAU limited Roosevelt to just 17, and seven of those came on a pick-six late in the fourth quarter. The Bees held the high-powered Lakers to just 299 yards of total offense and an average of fewer than four yards per play.

But the offense struggled. The Bees managed just 86 yards of offense and picked up only five first downs in falling to 2-6 overall and 2-3 in the MSFA Midwest League.

Together, it led to a game featuring 19 total punts.

Roosevelt (7-1, 4-1 MSFA) struck first, kicking a 25-yard field goal with five seconds remaining in the first half. 

St. Ambrose came out of the halftime locker room and pieced together its best drive of the game to open the third quarter. Tom Casey completed 4-of-5 passes, including a 36-yarder to Yemi Ward, as part of a 9-play, 62-yard drive that Joe Namio concluded with a 25-yard field goal to knot the score at 3-3.

Midway through the period, an SAU encroachment penalty turned a fourth-and-9 into a fourth-and-4 for Roosevelt at the SAU 22-yard line. The Lakers went for it and converted with a 7-yard pass. Four plays later, they found the end zone for a 10-3 lead.

Over its next five possessions, the Bees ran 15 plays and lost a total of 11 yards. On the final play of that fifth possession, Casey, facing heavy pressure all afternoon, threw an interception Roosevelt returned 46 yards to secure the victory.

The Bee defense limited the Lakers to just four first downs on 18 third-down plays. SAU recorded a pair of sacks and forced two turnovers. 

Rolando Sepulveda led the defense with 12 total tackles, including two for losses. Zak Alberts and Major Haas were each in on seven tackles. Haas also forced and recovered a fumble to end RU's first drive of the game.

Jake Strater was credited with six tackles. Anthony Brown and Djabril McNabb each had two. Jesse Driver Jr. and De'Viann Titus-Porter had four stops apiece. McNabb and Drew Ackman each registered a sack, and Jon Guch intercepted a pass in the loss.

Casey completed 12-of-19 passes for 81 yards. He was sacked seven times. Ward caught three passes for 52 yards while Justin Wright hauled in four catches for 15 yards.

Kaden King rushed for 31 yards on 13 attempts.

Jackson Hunsicker averaged better than 39 yards on 11 punts, placing four inside the 20-yard line.

It won't get any easier for St. Ambrose. The Bees will visit No. 11 Saint Xavier next Saturday before returning home to host Missouri Baptist in the season-finale on Nov. 12.