Box Score DULUTH, Minn. – Minot State University gave up far too many short fields to one of the top teams in the country.
No. 9 Minnesota Duluth jumped out to a 17-0 first-quarter lead without recording a first down and cruised to a 52-0 win over the Beavers in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference football Saturday at Malosky Stadium.
Short fields were probably an understatement as UMD's first three scoring drives were 1-yard, 1-yard and 7-yards respectively as Austin Sikorski scored on a pair of 1-yard rushes and Andrew Brees kicked a 35-yard field goal all in the first five minutes of the game.
The drives were aided by Minot State fumbles and a blocked punt. The Beavers fumbled on the second play of the game, had a punt blocked on the second series – both resulting in Sikorski TD runs – and fumbled the kickoff return after the second TD.
In all, the Beavers were abysmal on offense, finishing with just 138 yards of total offense, including minus-35 yards rushing, were sacked seven times and fumbled seven times, losing five.
The Bulldogs (6-1 overall, 6-1 NSIC, 6-1 NSIC North) had just three scoring drives of seven plays or more going 80-plus yards for TDs on those three drives. The Bulldogs finished with 200 yards rushing on 54 attempts and added 182 yards passing for 382 yards of total offense.
Sikorski led a balanced UMD attack with 77 yards rushing and the two scores. Logan Lauters, Eric Kline and Steve Ierulli all finished with rushing touchdowns. Quarterback Drew Bauer threw for two scores as well, finishing with 138 yards passing.
Zac Cunha (So., QB, Rocklin, Calif.) finished with 173 yards passing, hitting
Leon La Deaux (Jr., WR, Port Orchard, Wash.) five times for 56 yards to pace the offense. Fellow receiver
Porter Sturm (So., Roy, Mont.) added 63 yards on four catches.
Three Beavers defenders finishing in double figures in tackles, led by senior
Chad Marshall (LB, Hazen, N.D.) who had 12 tackles, a sack and a pass breakup.
Casey Weinmann (Jr., LB, Selz, N.D.) and
Marcel Brinson (So., DB, Gilroy, Calif.) added 11 stops apiece.
Minot State continues a two-game road swing next week as the Beavers travel to Minnesota Crookston Saturday for a 1 p.m. start.
– GO BEAVERS –
