Box Score

MARSHALL, Minn. – The University of Mary scored 17 unanswered points from the final play of the second quarter and in the opening two-plus minutes of the third quarter to build a 28-point lead and eventually earn a 45-23 victory over Southwest Minnesota State in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference football on Saturday night.
 
The loss was SMSU's third straight to begin the season and spoiled SMSU's 15^th annual Ag Bowl—presented by Ralco—at the Schwan Regional Event Center.
 
UMary, which improves to 1-2 with the victory, was led by Logan Nelson, who completed 20 of 28 passes for 249 yards and four touchdowns. David Small rushed for a team-high 130 yards and one touchdown on 14 carries. The Marauders closed the game with 26 first downs and amassed 430 yards on offense.
 
SMSU finished the game with 406 yards offensively and recorded 20 first downs. Andrew Haidet rushed for 147 yards and one touchdown on 10 carries and became the first SMSU quarterback to rush for more than 100 yards since Kyle Johnston in 1986. Haidet, who split time at quarterback with Steven Nava during the game, completed 4 of 12 passes for 80 yards and one touchdown. Nava finished the evening completing 9 of 20 passes for one touchdown and 124 yards but was intercepted twice.
 
Albert Lemon and Duce Reynolds each caught four passes for the Mustangs.
 
Onte Burns led the SMSU defense with a team-high 14 tackles, including 11 solo stops.
 
The Marauders scored the game's first points on their opening drive as Diamonte Stugelmeyer capped a 35-yard drive with a 1-yard touchdown run at the 9:40 mark of the first quarter. The drive was set up following an SMSU three-and-out on its first drive and a 16-yard punt into a stiff wind.
 
UMary added to the lead early in the second quarter, converting a key fourth-and-1 at the SMSU 39-yard line, to keep the drive alive and score its second touchdown of the game. Logan Nelson closed the drive with a 12-yard touchdown pass to Luke Little with 10:10 on the clock to push the lead to 14-0.
 
SMSU answered and was able to trim the deficit on its drive as Carter Dicker booted a 26-yard field goal to close out a 12-play, 64-yard drive to make the score 14-3 with 6:04 left in the half.
 
UMary took advantage of an SMSU interception late in the half to build the lead back to 14 points. SMSU's Steven Nava was intercepted near midfield with UMary's Ty'Rese Gibson returning the ball back to the SMSU 22-yard line with 26 seconds left in the half. UMary failed to pick up a first down, but Kevin Powell connected on a 35-yard field goal as time expired to give the Marauders a 17-3 halftime advantage.
 
UMary exploded with two quick scores to open the third quarter and build a 28-point lead. On its first drive of the half and facing third-and-10, Nelson found Danny Kittner open on the near sideline for an 80-yard touchdown pass to make the score 24-3.
 
Nava was intercepted just three plays later during SMSU's first drive of the half, setting up UMary at the 13-yard line. Just one play later, Nelson found Little for a 13-yard touchdown to extend the margin to 31-3.
 
SMSU found the end zone on its next drive with Haidet breaking free for a 58-yard touchdown run to trim the deficit to 31-9 following a missed PAT.
 
UMary stopped the SMSU momentum on its next drive, moving the ball 79 yards on just eight plays, with Nelson completing a five-yard touchdown pass to Jaden Andresen midway through the third quarter to make the score 38-9.
 
Small would break free for a 35-yard touchdown on the first play of the fourth quarter to give the Marauders a 45-9 lead.
 
SMSU bounced back with a pair of touchdowns early in the fourth quarter. Following an 18-yard run by Haidet to the SMSU 49-yard line, Haidet found Carter Damlo open for a 51-yard touchdown pass at the 12:42 mark to make the score 45-15.
 
Following an UMary punt, Nava found BJ Phillips for a 32-yard pass and moments later the duo connected on a 9-yard touchdown pass with 9:44 remaining to trim the deficit to 45-23.
 
SMSU would then recover an on-side kick and would pick-up one first down, but the drive stalled at the UMary 36-yard line sealing the Marauder victory midway through the final quarter.
 
Southwest Minnesota State will now head to the road for its next two games, starting next Saturday, Sept. 25, with a 12 p.m. battle at Concordia-St. Paul (1-2).