DULUTH, Minn. – Minnesota State Moorhead football competed with 16
th-ranked Minnesota Duluth on the road Saturday afternoon. Ultimately, the Bulldogs would be able to do enough to claim the contest, 28-14.
Things couldn't have began better for the Dragon defense, who immediately put the Bulldog offense behind the sticks.
Zach Dahl and
Denver Piechowski would get home on a big sack on third down to force a Minnesota Duluth punt deep in their own territory. With a strong wind blowing inside Malosky Stadium, the ensuing punt gave the Dragons excellent field position at the Bulldog 44-yard line.
With the wind at their backs, MSUM would drive down to the Bulldog 23-yard line before being met with a fourth down play.
Jack Strand found
Madden Thorson on the fourth down, leading to a Dragon first down. A few plays later, Strand would take matters into his own hands, sneaking in from nine yards away to have Moorhead up 7-0.
Minnesota Duluth would be able to work its way to the Moorhead 16-yard line on the ensuing drive. However, credit to the Dragon defense, who again held firm, led by a crushing sack from
Devin Beach. MSUM would hold the Bulldogs to a field goal attempt, which was missed wide left.
The Dragons would continue to hum along offensively, driving to the UMD 30-yard line as the first quarter expired. Strand found
Brady Perryman for 17 yards to lead the campaign before the end of the frame. After 15 minutes, Moorhead led 7-0. The Dragons would be unable to take advantage and would be forced to punt to begin the second quarter.
After MSUM's defense stalled the Bulldogs again, MSUM had a nice drive going after Strand linked up with
Madden Thorson for 45 yards. On the ensuing play, Moorhead fell victim to a tip drill interception that was returned for a Bulldog touchdown. The play would knot the score even at seven points early in the second frame. The Dragons would not waver after the turnover as
McKale Pierson made a special teams splash with a 39-yard return.
While the Dragons were unable to put anything together on their next drive, MSUM's defense continued to be the headline story. After
Tristan Ulmer pinned the Bulldogs inside their own 20-yard line, Moorhead stalled the Minnesota Duluth offense again as time ticked away. Before the end of the half, Minnesota Duluth would convert on a 52-yard field goal to give the Bulldogs a narrow 10-7 lead at the break.
Minnesota Duluth would stall the Dragon offense to begin the second half before driving down for a field goal try. The Bulldogs would convert a 40-yard attempt to move their lead to six points midway through the third quarter. Moorhead would respond quickly through a number of pass completions to Thorson, Perryman and
Gage Florence. After Strand and Thorson linked up for 18 yards, MSUM would be on the Bulldog 20-yard line. On the ensuing play, Strand would drop a perfect pass into the hands of Florence for a Dragon touchdown. The score put the Dragons back in front, 14-13 as the third quarter waned.
Before the end of the quarter, Minnesota Duluth would score again to regain control of the scoreboard, 20-14. That count would hold true heading into the final 15 minutes of action. On MSUM's first possession of the final quarter, Strand would be intercepted for the third time, giving UMD the ball on MSUM's 42-yard line. The Bulldogs would take advantage, scoring another touchdown and converting on a two-point try to lead 28-14. That score would hold firm by game's end as the Moorhead offense would be unable to score.
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Up Next
The Dragons (3-2, 2-2 NSIC) now prepare for the annual Homecoming game, slated for Saturday, October 3. MSUM will match up with Minot State with kickoff set for noon.
