ABERDEEN, S.D. – Big plays happened early and often Saturday in Minot State University first NSIC North Division game.

Unfortunately for the Beavers, Northern State made more of them.

The Beavers gave up a touchdown on the first play from scrimmage, had an interception returned 96 yards for a TD and had a blocked punt that led to NSU points all in the first half of a 41-28 loss in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference football Saturday at Swisher Field.

"I like how our kids competed through four quarters. In certain part of the game, we played pretty good football, but we had some mistakes that made the finale what it was," said MSU head coach Tyler Hughes. "We had a couple of missed assignments on defense that we have to shore up, but we gave them two pick-sixes and a blocked punt for a short field. That's 21 points for Northern right there."

After the opening run for NSU, Minot State (1-4 overall, 1-4 NSIC, 0-1 NSIC North) wasted little time to tie the game, getting a 76-yard TD pass from Isaiah Weed to Akkil Walker on its first play from scrimmage to tie the game at 7.

MSU forced a punt on the next possession and marched to the NSU 3. But a tipped pass was intercepted by Channing Barber and Barber returned it for a score. While the Beavers gave up just one first down, they trailed 14-7 with the stiff 25 mile per hour wind at their backs.

"That was a really tough play – tough to overcome," Hughes said. "It's a 14-piont swing. Instead of going up 14-7, we're down 14-7 and it took us a while to get it back offensively after that. It was definitely the low point for us."

NSU (3-2, 3-2, 1-0) took full advantage of the change in direction in the second half – starting with a short field due to a blocked punt to make it 21-7 and then on a 47-yard pass with 4:31 to play in the half.

The Beavers made a push to make things interesting with a solid third quarter. Cordell Pimienta caught a short pass, made a move, used a big stiff arm and outran everybody for a 70-yard TD on the first series. After NSU scored, the Beavers put together another good drive into the wind, capped by a 1-yard run by Jarvis Mustipher.

"Cordell made a great play and Isaiah (quarterback Isaiah Weed) made a great play, they came on a corner blitz and both recognized it," Hughes said. "We have a lot of young kids in the game and they are learning how to play and how to play together and we are getting better. It was a great individual catch and run for him."

After the Mustipher TD, Minot State's defense held early in the fourth quarter to give the Beavers the ball back with the wind, but NSU's Cody Braeger stepped in front of a pass and returned it 27 yards to stretch the lead back to three scores at 41-21.

Minot State didn't go away, however, as Mustipher scored midway through the quarter on an 8-yard TD to make it 41-28. That TD was set up by a fumble recovery by the Beavers defense, its third forced fumble of the game.

The Wolves wouldn't allow MSU another chance to get closer, finishing off the game with a seven minute drive to earn the win.

Nicholas Truen, who scored on the 75-yard run on the game's first play, finished with 204 yards rushing as NSU rolled up 305 total yards on the ground. Christian McAlvain added 53 yards rushing and 168 yards passing and two TDs for the Wolves.

Weed passed for 252 yards and two TDs, but was intercepted twice. He also finished with 22 yards rushing in the loss for MSU. Walker led the team with 104 yards receiving and Mustipher finished with 66 yards rushing and two scores. MSU had 111 yards on the ground and 252 passing for 363 yards overall.

"We are getting better on the ground," Hughes said.

MSU returns home for its second NSIC North contest Saturday as the Beavers play host to Minnesota Duluth starting at 1 p.m. at Herb Parker Stadium.

About Minot State
Minot State University is a member of the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) and NCAA Division II offering 14 men's and women's varsity intercollegiate athletics programs. The NSIC is a premier NCAA DII, 16-member conference featuring teams in North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Nebraska and Iowa. The Beavers are the only public NCAA Division II institution in the state of North Dakota.