APPLETON, Wis. -- The Lawrence University football team battled back in the third quarter Saturday, but the Vikings couldn't contain the University of Minnesota-Morris ground game in a 38-22 nonconference loss to the Cougars.
    Morris piled up 393 rushing yards and got a long touchdown run in fourth quarter to help seal the victory on Ron Roberts Field at the Banta Bowl.
    Lawrence quarterback Aidan Williams went 18-for-33 passing for 245 yards and two touchdowns. Wide receiver Alex Lippert and tight end Logan Olson both had big days for the Vikings (0-3). Lippert caught seven passes for 110 yards and a touchdown, and Olson had six receptions for 95 yards and a score.
    Pat Thompson led the Lawrence ground attack as he rumbled for 80 yards on 19 carries.
    Safety Jacob Stanley made 13 tackles, including 11 solos, to pace the Lawrence defense. Defensive lineman Zekhi Mills made six stops and four Vikings had five tackles apiece.
     Morris (1-3) got a key stop early as Lawrence turned the ball over on downs at the Morris 39-yard line. The Cougars moved down in the field in five plays and scored midway through the first quarter for a 7-0 lead.
    Lawrence bounced right back to tie the game. Lippert caught a 26-yard pass to get the ball to the Morris 42. Rookie running back Jack Delzer then ripped off a 17-yard run to move the ball to the Morris 22. The Vikings faced a fourth-and-3 on the next series, but Thompson bulled his way to a first down at the Morris 12-yard line. Williams raced in on the next play for the touchdown and a 7-7 tie.
    Morris used its ground game in the second quarter to build its lead. Jacob Miranda had a 26-yard scoring run on a reverse, and Izayah Boss posted a 54-yard run to set up a field goal for a 17-7 advantage.
    After a Lawrence fumble deep in Morris territory was recovered by the Cougars, Boss and Blake Johnson teamed up for another score. Running the Cougars down the field, Johnson eventually plunged in from a yard out for a 24-7 lead at the break.
    The Vikings came right back early in the third quarter with a scoring drive of their own. The Vikings moved 76 yards in nine plays for a touchdown as Lippert caught a 42-yard scoring pass from Williams to trim the margin to 24-14.
    The Lawrence defense stiffened and forced a turnover on downs at the Lawrence 17. The teams then traded punts before Morris pulled away with a touchdown drive early in the fourth quarter, and Boss tacked on a 74-yard scoring run to give the Cougars a 38-14 lead.
    Lawrence pulled closer when Williams hit Olson down the seam for a 49-yard touchdown pass to trim the margin to 38-22, but that's as close as the Vikings would get.  
    Lawrence posted 380 yards of offense and had a 6:12 advantage in time of possession for the contest.