Western Kentucky kicker Peter Martinez converted three of his five field-goal attempts to provide the only offense in a game dominated by defense as Illinois State fell to the Hilltoppers, 9-0, in Bowling Green, Ky.
The Redbirds were shut out for the first time since they lost 52-0 against Northern Illinois on September 9, 2000.
Illinois State, 5-4 overall, 3-2 in the Gateway, never got its offense into a rhythm, had only seven first downs and was unable to get the ball in Hilltopper territory the entire game. Boomer Grigsby led the Birds on the defense with 19 total tackles.
Quincy Washington finished with 66 yards on the ground for Illinois State and broke the 1,000-yard mark on the season, while Michael Souza was 8-for-21 for 58 yards.
The Hilltopper defense hounded the Redbirds the entire game recording five sacks and an interception.
Western Kentucky, 7-3 overall, 5-1 GFC, missed an early opportunity to jump on the scoreboard when Peter Martinez missed a 34-yard field goal at the 8:27 mark of the first quarter when the ball hit the right upright and fell straight to the ground.
A sack on third down by Jonathon Friend and Ray Robinson with five minutes left in the first quarter ended the Hilltoppers next drive and also kept the game scoreless through one period. The quarter ended on a 10-yard, Mike Souza sack by Arthur Wilson that left the Birds on their own 2 yardline.
Western Kentucky was able to start from the ISU 34 yardline on its ensuing possession after forcing the Redbirds to punt from their endzone and took a 3-0 lead with 10:40 left in the first half on a 20-yard field goal after a three-yard pass from Jason Michael to Jerome Reaves was ruled incomplete on third and goal.
Illinois State got a break at the 6:40 mark of the second quarter when Troy Maskel dropped the snap but was still able to still get off a 54-yard, line-drive punt that bounced all the way to the WKU nine yardline. An interception by Souza gave the Hilltoppers the ball at their own 49 yardline and resulted in a nine-play, 34-yard drive that was capped by a 34-yard field goal by Martinez that gave Western Kentucky a 6-0 lead at the half.
The Birds got another break early in the third quarter when Martinez missed a 37-yard field goal off the left upright after Western Kentucky was able to keep its drive alive on a roughing the kicker penalty by Illinois State on a Hilltopper punt.
With 4:35 remaining in the third quarter, Martinez converted a 24-yard field goal to give WKU a 9-0 lead on a five-play, 51-yard drive highlighted by a 47-yard completion from Michael to Reaves.
Neither team was able to find any offense in the final quarter and the game ended with the score 9-0, WKU.
