Box Score Bismarck, ND – The University of Mary entered halftime full of momentum but it was 5th-ranked University of Minnesota Duluth that dominated the second half in a 32-14 Bulldogs win over the homestanding Marauders.
 
With 57 seconds left in the first half, Zach Roberson plunged into the end zone to pull U-Mary (5-5 overall and Northern Sun, 3-3 NSIC North Division) within 17-14 of UMD (9-1, 6-0). With the wind to their backs in the third quarter, it appeared the Marauders were poised to grab the lead. Instead the Bulldogs seized control of the game and never let go.
 
On the second play of the second half, Logan Lauters sprinted 52 yards to the Marauders 23 yard line. After carrying the ball for 19 yards on the next play, Austin Sikorki finished the opening drive by scoring from 4 yards out. After missing the extra point, the Bulldogs led 23-14.
 
Two special teams gaffes by the Marauders set up the next Bulldogs score. With UMD kicking off into a howling wind, the ball started coming back towards the Bulldogs, who recovered the inadvertent onside kick at the U-Mary 38. Behind big defensive stops for losses by Scott Maldonado and Grant Singer, the Bulldogs were forced to punt. After kicking the ball just 5 yards, U-Mary gained possession at its own 27 yard line.
 
Unable to move the ball, the Marauders were forced to punt. With the backup long snapper in the game due to injury, the center snap hit one of the Marauders up-backs. Punter Tyler Ryan managed to grab the ball but was tackled for a 16 yard loss.
 
This time just 20 yards from the goal line, UMD extended its lead to 29-14 in three plays, capped by a 3-yard Lauters touchdown run. 
 
Despite playing into the wind in the third quarter, the Bulldogs churned out 160 yards of offense, all on the ground. The Marauders posted minus six yards in the quarter.
 
The Bulldogs closed out the day's scoring with a 26-yard Andrew Brees field goal early in the fourth quarter.
 
Trailing 10-0 early in the game, the Marauders roared to life in the second quarter.
 
Starting at their own 25 yard line following a UMD field goal, U-Mary drove the field in nine plays. Streaking down the center of the gridiron, Elby Pope caught a 37-yard scoring strike from Roberson to pull the Marauders within 10-7.
 
Hoping to pin the Bulldogs deep after the Marauders next possession, Aaron Roth dashed U-Mary's hopes with an 83 yard punt return with 5:40 remaining in the half, pushing the UMD lead back to double-digits at 17-7.
 
The two teams would trade interceptions on the next two drives, with a Singer pick and 26 yard return giving U-Mary the ball at the UMD 45 with 3:03 left before intermission. After two short pass completions, Roberson again found Pope for a big gain, this time 28 yards to the UMD 9 yard line. Roberson would do the rest, running for 5 yards and then another 4 yards for the score. It was the last time the Marauders managed to score in the game.
 
Getting his first start of the season, Roberson completed 20-of-33 passes for 189 yards with one touchdown and one interception.
 
Pope caught six passes for 89 yards. Vince Ferrante ran 13 times for 55 yards to lead the Marauders ground game.
 
Defensively the Marauders were led by Singer. The junior linebacker led all players with 13 tackles, three tackles for loss and two sacks. He also added one interception. Jake Nicholson and Preston Tescher both had nine tackles.
 
Sikorski led the Bulldogs with 113 yards rushing on 21 carries. Lauters added 91 yards on 12 attempts.
 
UMD generated 321 yards rushing on 59 carries and 348 yards of total offense. The Bulldogs posted just 27 yards passing as the Marauders held Drew Bauer to a 4-of-14 effort with one interception and one touchdown pass. U-Mary was limited to a season-low 226 yards on 55 plays. The Bulldogs had a 20-13 edge in first downs and kept the ball 36:49 to 23:11 for the Marauders.
 
U-Mary closes out the 2013 season against the University of Minnesota Crookston when the Marauders host the Golden Eagles at 1 PM on Saturday, Nov. 16, at the MDU Resources Bowl.
 
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