The Ashland University football team was defeated by Tiffin University 35-32 on Saturday afternoon at Frost Kalnow Stadium in a Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference matchup.

Tiffin quarterback Antonio Pipkin started the game’s scoring when he found Charles Holland for an 86-yard passing touchdown.

JaQuan Hardy then ran the ball in from 1-yard out to give TU the early 14-0 lead. 

Ashland QB Travis Tarnowski got the Eagles on the board at the start of the second quarter when he linked up with tight end Adam Shaheen for a 30-yard scoring strike.

Tarnowski finished the game 24 of 44 for 402 yards and three touchdowns and one interception, while Shaheen had 10 catches for 165 yards and three touchdowns. 

Aidan Simenc knocked in a field goal for AU (4-1, 3-1 GLIAC) midway through the second quarter to close the gap to 14-10. 

Tiffin (3-2, 2-2 GLIAC) responded with a touchdown of its own when Pipkin hit Holland for another score to extend the Dragons’ lead to 11. 

Neither team scored again until AU’s Andrew Vaughn found pay dirt from 1-yard out with 4:25 left in the third quarter to cut the TU lead to four.

Tiffin extended its lead back to 11 after Pipkin hit Trent Stamm for a 10-yard touchdown. 

A little over three minutes later, Tarnowski threw an 18-yard strike to Shaheen for another TD. Following the score, the Eagles went for a 2-point conversion and got it, pulling them to within a field goal of Tiffin. 

On the ensuing drive, Tiffin’s Kyle Brunson fumbled the ball, giving the Eagles the ball back at their own 30. 

But the Eagles’ drive ended in a Tarnowski interception, and Tiffin converted the turnover into a Pipkin 7-yard rushing touchdown.

AU was not done yet, however, as Tarnowski hooked up with Shaheen for a 23-yard score.

The Eagles attempted an on-side kick following their TD but were unsuccessful in recovering it.

Austin Utter led the AU defense with 12 tackles, while Brandon Gency chipped in 10 tackles, a sack and an interception.

Ashland had 508 yards of total offense and 27 first downs in the game, compared to Tiffin’s 448 yards and 20 first downs.