Box Score SIOUX FALLS, S.D.  – Minot State University held a 10-9 lead late in the fourth quarter but gave up 20 unanswered points in the fourth quarter to fall to the University of Sioux Falls 29-10 in NCAA Division II Football Saturday at Bob Young Field.

The Beavers looked poised to earn its second win in a row on the road as they held Sioux Falls' offense in check much of the game, but the Cougars took advantage of a steady wind in the fourth quarter and the MSU gave up points on offense again to USF.

“We did a couple of things at the end to make it look ugly, but we did a lot of what we wanted to do,” said MSU head coach Paul Rudolph. “But in the end we put the ball on the ground and they took advantage. We let the wheels fall off a bit.”

The Beavers (2-6 overall) took a 10-6 lead into halftime with a Nico Youngren (Jr., RB, Gig Harbor, Wash.) 4-yard run and a 40-yard field goal by Nick Phillips (Fr., K, LaCenter, Wash.). The Youngren run was his second TD of the season, while the 40-yarder was Phillips' career high.

“I thought we did a lot of nice things,” Rudolph said. “We executed the game plan both offensively and defensively the way we wanted to.”

Minot State's offense failed to put up points in the second half, only the second time all season MSU hasn't scored in the third or fourth quarter. Still, after giving up a short field goal early in the third quarter, the Beavers defense held.

Sioux Falls (5-3) took a 15-10 lead with a Josh Nakamoto 2-yard pass from Taylor Perkins with 9:53 to play in the game and the flood gates opened. MSU's quarterback C.J. Evans (R-Fr., Havre, Mont.) fumbled on a sack and Robert Virgil scampered 18 yards for a score 1:22 later and Carrington Hanna capped the scoring with a 2-yard run with just over five minutes to play to give the game its final score.

Perkins gained 82 yards rushing and had 140 yards passing to lead Sioux Falls' offense. The Cougars outgained MSU 348-283 overall on the day.

MSU's Chad Marshall (So., LB, Hazen, N.D.) had a superb day as he finished with 13 tackles to lead all players. Levi Freidt (R-Fr., DB, Minot, N.D.) saved a touchdown with a leaping interception, his team-leading fourth of the season.

Jabari Taylor (Sr., WR, Hollywood, Calif.) caught seven passes for 106 yards to lead the Beavers through the air, while Tyson Schatz (Sr., RB, Minot, N.D.) finished with 81 yards rushing on 21 carries to lead the offensive ground game. Bryce Jorgenson (R-Fr., West Fargo, N.D.) threw from 103 yards, while Evans added 89 yards of passing as the two again split time at quarterback.

MSU will look to regroup with a road trip to Spearfish, S.D., with the Beavers second same-season rematch as Minot State will take on Black Hills State. The second Beavers-Yellow Jackets clash is set for 1:30 p.m. (MT).