MINOT, N.D. - Minot State put together a big 274-yard showing on the ground, including 101 yards from Evan Lovett, and four rushing touchdowns, but fell 52-25 to No. 5-ranked Minnesota State, Manakto on Saturday afternoon at home at First Western Bank Field at Herb Parker Stadium on Homecoming.
The Mavericks improved to 3-0 on the year and 3-0 in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference play, while the Beavers fell to 0-3 overall and 0-3 in conference matchups.
Lovett led all Beavers rushers with 101 yards and one touchdown in the contest, picking up 10.1 yards per carry. Myles West also added 88 yards and one touchdown on the ground, averaging 12.6 yards per carry.
Erik Palmquist reeled in one catch for 11 yards.
Carson Cayko showed out for the Minot State defense, recording eight tackles, 3.0 for a loss, and one sack. Trent Cherry added 1.0 tackles for loss.
Minot State recorded a powerful performance on the ground, logging 274 rushing yards while averaging 6.8 yards per carry and out-rushing Minnesota State by 94 yards.
Defensively, Minot State held up fairly well against the Minnesota State rushing attack, holding the Mavericks to 180 yards on the ground.
Minot State's offense took advantage of its visits to the red zone, scoring on three of its three trips, with all of those scores being touchdowns.
Coaches Comments
"I was proud of our effort, and by and larger proud of the execution," Minot State head coach
Ian Shields said.
"We've got to get some takeaways defensively," he added. "We didn't get any takeaways defensively, we turned it over offensively and really, in large part, that's the big difference in the football game is the takeaway battle."
How It Happened
After falling behind 7-0, Minot State responded with a 13-yard Erik Palmquist rushing touchdown with 9:36 remaining in the first quarter to tie it at 7-7.
Minnesota State then scored to take a 28-7 lead before the Beavers put a touchdown on the board to narrow the advantage and make it a 28-13 game. Freshman Myles West broke free for the 49-yard score to close the gap early in the second quarter.
After Minnesota State scored to increase its lead to 35-13, Minot State responded with Lovett's 8-yard touchdown run with 7:30 remaining in the third quarter lead to cut the deficit to 35-19.
Minnesota State scored to expand its lead to 52-19 before the Beavers got on the scoreboard again to close the gap and make it a 52-25 game a 9-yard touchdown run by Isaiah Griffin. Neither team scored again in the game.
Game Notes
» Minnesota State outgained Minot State 453-290 in the contest.
» Minot State converted 1 of 6 third downs while Minnesota State was successful on 10 of 14.
» The Beavers had two players with more than eight tackles in the ballgame led by Isaiah Bigby, who had 11.
» Minot State went 1-for-1 on fourth down, converting on 100 percent of attempts.
» Hayden Ekern led the Mavericks passing attack, completing 15 of his 26 attempts for 225 yards and two touchdowns.
» Shen Butler Lawson Jr led the Minnesota State rushing attack with 95 yards and two touchdowns.
This story created through content automation technology from Data Skrive.
