MINOT, N.D. – Minot State University gave up 17 second-quarter points to fall behind 17-7 at the half and couldn't mount a comeback as St. Cloud State finished off the Beavers 27-14 in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference football Saturday at Herb Parker Stadium.

The deficit could have been avoided as the Beavers had a couple of missed opportunities early on to get a lead as both teams struggled with penalties much of the day.

It was most costly for the Beavers early however as MSU looked to gain a 7-0 lead on a Zac Cunha (Jr., QB, Rocklin, Calif.) pass to Glyn Borel (Sr., WR, San Jose, Calif.), but the TD was called back due to a holding penalty. MSU was flagged for 11 penalties for 94 yards in the game.

"We just had some missed opportunities," said MSU head coach Tyler Hughes. "We had our chances early on, we had some penalties that disrupted the flow of the game for us and we weren't able to overcome that. I thought our defense played well in a lot of different spots. I thought they played the run really well. They had a few runs that broke but I thought for the most part they contained the run which is what St. Cloud wants to do."

The Huskies (5-5 overall, 5-5 NSIC, 4-2 NSIC North Division) took advantage from there, scoring the game's first 17 points as Nate Meyer hit Donte Starlin-Merriam on a 26-yard TD pass and then scored on a 7-yard run after a Eric Mielke 25-yard field goal opened the scoring.

While the Beavers (1-8, 1-8, 1-5) looked down and out at that point in the second quarter, MSU got back in the game with a Cunha to Porter Sturm (Jr., WR, Roy, Mont.) TD just before the half ended. Sturm got behind the defense on the left side and hauled in the touchdown as Cunha laid flat on his back from a roughing the passer call.

But MSU couldn't get enough going in the second half to threaten much from there. SCSU scored on Meyer's second TD pass, this time to Taylor Berger on the first drive of the second half. While the Beavers were able to move the ball at times via the passing game, MSU finished with just 21 yards rushing in the game.

"I think for me as a play caller, I need to be more consistent trying to get some runs called early," Hughes said. "I think I got away from that a little bit early because I felt like we had those throws down the field so I kept trying to attack those. I think I could have helped our guys by calling a few more runs early. I would put that on me."

But the Beavers defense didn't give up much either. SCSU ended with 373 yards of total offense, rushing for 165 and throwing for 208. MSU finished with three sacks – all by Thomas Bryson (Jr., DL, Layton, Utah) – and 9.5 tackles for a loss. Bryson also led the Beavers with 4.5 tackles for a loss and had 12 overall.

"I've become more comfortable for sure, it helps when you get the pressure from the opposite side," Bryson said. "They (SCSU) had a solid game plan and are as solid run team and probably got the best of us today, but we are doing good things on defense."

"He was a real active player," Hughes said of Bryson. "He pursued the quarterback well, he set the edge, got some pressure, got a sack or two and he played well. Thomas is a great player. I've known Thomas for a long time and he definitely played at a high level today and made a positive impact, so it's good to see him do that."

While SCSU didn't move the ball throughout the game, they did earn two key fourth downs. The first preserved the Huskies first field goal drive early in the second quarter and the second was a great call as Starlin-Merriam scored on a screen pass on a 4th-and-7 from the MSU 26.

"It was a big factor," Hughes said of SCSU going 2-2 and MSU 0-2 on fourth downs. "We had the one down in the red zone. I think the biggest thing is collectively as a team we just have to learn how to finish things off. We're not quite there yet, as we can all see – third down, fouth down, red zone – we're just not good in those situations and we need to be better in them obviously. I think it's somewhat reflective of where we're at as a program."

Meyer finished with 208 yards on 15-for-24 passing and two TDs while Starlin-Marriam had a career-high 123 yards rushing in the win.

Cunha went 20-for-38 passing for 315 yards, two TDs and an interception. He found Leon La Deaux (Sr., WR, Port Orchard, Wash.) seven times for a career-high 142 yards. Sturm caught five for passes for 87 yards and the score and Ray Watkins (RFR., So., West Melbourne, Fla.) caught his TD pass late in the second half.

Levi Freidt (Sr., LB, Minot, N.D.) joined Bryson for a huge defensive game with 18 total tackles. Randel Barber (Jr., DB, Maricopa, Ariz.) had nine tackles and two pass breakups and Aaron James (Jr., LB, Oklahoma City, Okla.) had five stops and a forced fumble for the Beavers.

MSU will finish the season at home against No. 2 ranked Minnesota Duluth Saturday starting at 1:30 p.m.