Box Score BISMARCK, N.D. – Minot State University football has been plagued by slow starts and early miscues in its three losses heading into Saturday's "Battle of the Big Lake" rivalry game against the University of  Mary.

It was the special team's turn to deliver those mistakes.

Minot State had two punts partially blocked, shanked a third and muffed a punt return to help the Marauders to a 38-0 halftime cushion as U-Mary cruised to a 45-10 win over the Beavers in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference football at the Community Bowl.

"It certainly wasn't an ideal way to start for us with having the wind and wanting to win the field position game, but there was plenty of football to play," said MISU head coach Paul Rudolph. "It that is as mentally tough as we are going to be and wilt after a couple of mistakes, that doesn't say very well to what we have been trying to do here."

The Beavers (1-4 overall, 1-4 NSIC, 0-1 NSIC North) have up short fields and short U-Mary scoring drives as the Marauders scored on three or fewer plays on four of its six first-half scoring drives.

"It was mental errors," said MISU senior linebacker Chad Marshall (Hazen, N.D.) "It was on things we felt like we should have been prepared for. It wasn't just one or two guys either, but everyone at different times. In this conference, you have to learn you can't make one of those mistakes or you see scores like this."

The Marauders (3-2, 3-2, 1-0) got a pair of Dariouse Gravely rushing TDs to take a 14-0 lead after the first quarter, going into a stiff west wind. In the second quarter – with the wind at their backs – U-Mary quickly struck for 24 points, getting three TD passes from quarterback Craig Bagnell.

"I didn't think the defense was real good in the first half, we gave up too many big plays," Rudolph said. "But offensively, we were this side of atrocious."

Minot State went 3-and-out on five of seven first-half possessions, picking up only one first down, fumbled on one other – the muffed punt – and turned the ball over on downs just before the half after showing some life on a 66-yard, 12-play drive.

Still, the Beavers were shut out in the half, not getting the board until a field goal by Brian Gutierrez (Jr., K, Granada Hills, Calif.) with 8:18 to play in the third quarter. The Beavers lone touchdown came on a Randel Barber (So., RB, Maricopa, Ariz.) run with 1:26 to play in the game as the Beavers showed some life in the second half.

"I think we showed late that we are capable of handling them, but we didn't start off well at all. We are just not mentally tough," Rudolph said. "I think we found out we are capable of playing, but I can't figure this group of guys out, what we lack and what we are missing."

The Beavers defensively gave up just 293 yards of total offense but allowed a team to score 40 or more points two weeks in a row. Gravely finished with 83 yards rushing, while Bagnell threw for 148 yards and a touchdown.

Marshall led the Beavers defense with 12 tackles, while Casey Weinmann (Jr., LB, Selz, N.D.) added nine tackles and a sack. Barber carried the ball 11 times for 82 yards, while Jarvis Mustipher (R-Fr., RB, Melbourne, Fla.) added seven carries for 27 yards. The Beavers were just 16-of-39 for 131 yards passing and three TDs between two quarterbacks.

Minot State will look to rebound as they play their only home game in October, playing host to Northern State during Hall of Fame weekend Saturday at 2:30 p.m.