EAU CLAIRE, Wis. — The Carroll University football team opened the 2025 season on the road Thursday night, falling 29–7 to Wisconsin–Eau Claire at Carson Park. Carroll finished with 266 yards of total offense, showing moments of rhythm on both sides of the ball.
After trailing through much of the contest, the Pioneers broke through in the fourth quarter. Sophomore quarterback Elisha Nieves directed Carroll's best drive of the evening, moving the offense 67 yards before connecting with Daniel White on a 21-yard touchdown pass. White provided a spark in multiple phases, also totaling 116 yards on kickoff returns to give Carroll opportunities in the return game.
Carroll split time under center, with Charlie King guiding the offense early and finishing with 122 passing yards, while Elisha Nieves added 70 yards through the air and delivered the Pioneers' lone touchdown. In the passing game, Reed Breckheimer was a steady option, hauling in six receptions for 78 yards, and Mikey Coleman added three catches for 44 yards to keep drives moving. The ground attack saw flashes as well, as Carson Crouch broke off several key runs on his way to 24 yards, while Nieves contributed another 28 yards with his legs.
Defensively, Braedon Curtin paced Carroll with nine tackles, and Luke Brosig posted three tackles for loss to slow the Blugolds' running attack. Anthony Pickens and Amarrion Bridges each broke up passes to help the Pioneers stall Eau Claire possessions.
The Blugolds capitalized on long drives and timely big plays to pull away, led by quarterback Ayden Helder's 216 passing yards and two touchdowns, including a 69-yard strike to Yaach Chuol in the second quarter. Kicker Reece Perry also converted three field goals. Eau Claire finished the game with 363 yards of offense, showcasing an ability to control the ball at times.
The Pioneers will look to build on their flashes from tonight's debut when they return home for their Schneider Stadium and conference opener on Saturday, September 20 as they face WashU. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m.
