MARSHALL, Minn. – The University of Mary used a big third quarter, scoring three touchdowns, including a punt return for a score, while recording a pair of interceptions, to pull away and defeat Southwest Minnesota State, 40-9, in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference football at The Schwan Regional Event Center.
 
UMary improves to 2-2 overall, 1-2 NSIC, while SMSU drops to 1-2 overall, 1-2 NSIC.
 
The Marauders defense forced the Mustangs into three turnovers in the second half in scoring 26 unanswered points. UMary finished the game with 365 yards of offense and 21 first downs, while SMSU closed the game with 256 yards on offense with 15 first downs.
 
Hudsen Sheldon completed 10 of 17 passes for 213 yards and four touchdowns, while rushing for 71 yards on 12 carries to pace UMary.
 
SMSU's Macloud Crowton finished the game completing 17 of 32 pass attempts for 198 yards with three interception, while being sacked three times. Crowton added 22 yards rushing on 12 attempts with teammate Tariq Parker adding 22 yards on five carries. Jacob Honstetter rushed eight times for 13 yards, including a 19-yard touchdown run in the first quarter. Colin Maher caught a game-high eight passes for 107 yards for the Mustangs. It is his first career 100-yard receiving game and the first by a Mustang since the 2022 season.
 
Josiah Hendensten paced the SMSU defense with seven tackles with 1.5 for loss with Gideon Ervasti adding six tackles. Aiden Planer finished with four stops, including two for loss. Parker Knutson closed with four tackles and recorded his fifth interception of the season and 10^th of his career.
 
Both teams opened the game with punts before SMSU put together one of its best scoring drives in the past season to score the first points of the game. Starting at their own 4-yard line, the Mustangs later faced third-and-12 from the 2-yard line before Crowton connected on a 42-yard pass to Maher. Later in the drive, SMSU took advantage of a 15-yard personal foul call on third down near midfield to keep the drive alive. Lincoln Benson recorded his first collegiate reception on third and five to set up first down on the UMary 26-yard line. Four plays later, Honstetter broke free for a 19-yard touchdown on third and three to put SMSU in the lead at 7-0 following Mason Carver's PAT with 4:47 left in the first quarter.
 
UMary would tie the game at 7-7 with 10:17 remaining in the second quarter on a 1-yard touchdown run. Following an SMSU punt, UMary took its first lead of the game with just over four minutes left in the half with Sheldon connecting on a 36-yard touchdown pass to Karsyn Jablonski to make the score 14-7.
 
SMSU cut into the deficit later in the half as a snap sailed over the head of UMary punter Christian Jangula, with Planer hustling down field and pushing Jangula out of the end zone for a safety to make the score 14-9. SMSU started near midfield with 42 second left in the half, but failed to move the ball as UMary took the five-point lead into halftime.
 
UMary put together a chance to add to the lead on its first drive of the second half, but Knutson stepped in front of a Sheldon pass at the SMSU 1-yard line to end the threat.
 
SMSU picked up one first down on the ensuing drive, but would have to punt. Starting on its own 24-yard line, UMary moved 76 yards on just three plays with Sheldon finding BJ Phillips for a 28-yard touchdown at the 8:43 mark of the third quarter to make the score 21-9.
 
SMSU earned three first downs on its next drive and had momentum inside the UMary 30-yard line, but Crowton was intercepted by Mason Phillips on a screen pass, and following the return the Marauders had first down at the SMSU 40-yard line. Just three plays later, a 38-yard touchdown pass by Sheldon extended the lead to 28-9.
 
SMSU punted on its next drive and disaster struck again as UMary's Jaxon Feller weaved through SMSU defenders on his way to the end zone for a 43-yard punt return for a touchdown and 34-9 advantage after three quarters.
 
SMSU appeared to score early in the fourth quarter on a long pass from Crowton to Greg Schafer, but the play was nullified as Schafer stepped out of bounds moments before making the catch.
 
SMSU will go on the road for the next two weeks starting with a 1 p.m. match-up versus Wayne State College in Wayne, Neb., next Saturday, Sept. 27.