NAPERVILLE, Ill. - The Carroll University football team lost to No. 17-ranked North Central College 59-0 in a cold, clear College Conference of Illinois-Wisconsin game at Benedetti-Wehrli Stadium on Saturday night.
It was the third consecutive conference loss for Carroll, which dropped to 1-4 in the league standings and 2-4 overall.
North Central, which improved to 4-1 in conference and 5-1 overall with the homecoming effort, scored 21 points in what proved to be the decisive opening quarter.
Junior quarterback Broc Rutter completed 21 of 30 passes for 268 yards and four touchdowns for the Cardinals, who amassed 34 first downs and 630 yards of total offense. 
North Central collected what proved to be the winning points as freshman running back Terrence Hill scored on a 10-yard run to cap a six-play, 88-yard drive with 12:44 remaining in the first quarter.
Junior running back Dominick Muoghalu rushed 13 times for 142 yards and a touchdown for the high-powered Cardinals, who scored on their first four drives of the contest, converted 11 of 14 times on third down and were successful on all nine of their opportunities in the red zone. Hill completed the dominant 1-2 punch with 15 carries for 96 yards and sophomore wide receiver Andrew Kamienski had six receptions for 96 yards and two touchdowns.
The Carroll offense struggled to sustain drives against the stingy North Central defense over the course of the battle, converting only 3 of 12 times on third down.
Senior quarterback Colton Bahling (Belvidere, Ill.) completed just 10 of 23 passes for 52 yards with an interception and rushed 12 times for 32 yards for the Pioneers, who had 10 first downs and 166 total yards.
Senior running back J.J. Keels (Melbourne, Fla.) rushed seven times for 44 yards and senior wide receiver Parker Zitzke (Waukesha, Wis.) had five catches for 29 yards. 
Senior Austin Harter (Rockton, Ill.) punted eight times with a long of 59 yards, averaging 40.4 yards per kick and placing two inside the 20-yard line.
Senior free safety Cameron Cassaro (Caledonia, Ill.) recorded a game-high 13 tackles, including 11 solos and two assists, for the Carroll defense. Senior defensive back Billy Krawczyk (Lockport, Ill.) followed with eight tackles, sophomore defensive back Sean Schmidt (Manteno, Ill.) had seven tackles with a sack, senior linebacker Andrew Danculovich (Cudahy, Wis.) had five tackles and senior defensive back Linzy Hudson (Milwaukee, Wis.) forced a fumble.