CROOKSTON, Minn. – Vince Ferrante ran for a career-high 136 yards and a touchdown and the University of Mary ground out a 17-10 road win over the University of Minnesota Crookston.
 
The Marauders ran for 229 yards, the most by U-Mary since the squad posted the same total against Southwest Minnesota State University on September 15, 2012. U-Mary also passed for 188 yards and totaled 417 yards of offense on 74 plays. This was the first time the Marauders cracked 400 yards since the opening game of the season.
 
Defensively U-Mary (4-3 overall and Northern Sun, 2-1 NSIC North) held UMC (0-7, 0-3) to 265 yards, including 100 yards rushing. It was the second fewest yards allowed by the Marauders defense this season and the fewest points given up.
 
Facing a winless team for the third straight game, the Marauders fell behind 7-0 when Adam Connette caught a 44-yard touchdown pass from Ben Bucholz late in the first quarter.
 
The Marauders had scoring opportunities throughout the second quarter before finally getting on board. Consecutive U-Mary drives ended with a missed field goal and a fumble on the goal line.
 
Brody Riggs provided a spark for the Marauders at the end of the first half. The redshirt freshman kicker booted a 50-yard field goal with four seconds left before intermission, pulling the Marauders within 7-3. It's the longest field goal for U-Mary since the move to NCAA Division II in 2006 and may be the longest in school history.
 
U-Mary dominated the third quarter, producing two touchdowns and rolling up 161 yards to 49 for UMC.
 
Driving the second half opening kickoff down the field, Ferrante provided the Marauders their first lead of the game on a 5-yard burst behind the left side of the U-Mary offensive line. The senior running back's score was his first of the year and capped the 7-play, 70-yard drive.
 
The Marauders defense set up the squad's next score. Under heavy duress from Shawn Fulwider, Golden Eagles quarterback Ben Bucholz heaved a ball downfield that was intercepted by Jacob Parker and returned 20 yards to the UMC 39 yard line.
 
On the first play after the pick, Ben Jolliffe connected with Myron Baldoz for a 27-yard catch. Two lays later, Jake East caught a 13-yard touchdown pass from Jolliffe for a 17-7 lead with 49 seconds remaining in the third.
 
Fighting from behind, the Golden Eagles twice drove into the red zone in hopes of cutting into the Marauders lead. The first effort resulted in a failed 32-yard field goal attempt. The second drive ended in a Mike Maw 35-yard field goal with 2:16 remaining in the game.
 
The ensuing onside kick was recovered by Preston Tescher. A 13-yard run by Ben Jolliffe on 3^rd-and-9 sealed the Marauders second straight win.
 
A workhorse effort by Ferrante resulted in the best effort by a U-Mary running back since Dariouse Gravely ran for 150 yards at Southwest Minnesota State on Sept. 15, 2012. The senior running back carried the ball 26 times, including five straight attempts in the fourth quarter when U-Mary worked to run out the clock.
 
Gravely added 68 yards rushing.
 
Jolliffe completed 14-of-25 passes for 188 yards, one touchdown and one interception. He also ran for 36 yards.
 
East made four receptions for 81 yards and a score with a long of 35 yards.
 
Parker was one of three Marauders to make seven tackles in the game. In addition to five solo stops, he also had the team's lone interception. Fulwider added seven stops, including a tackle for loss and a pass breakup. Grant Singer also had seven stops and broke up two passes. It was the first time this season the All-American linebacker failed to reach double digits in tackles.
 
Tyler Kist added a team-high 1.5 tackles for loss.
 
Connette paced the Golden Eagles offense with six catches for 92 yards and a score. Buchulz threw for 115 yards and a score. Talo Pascal ran for 50 yards.
 
Greg Lofquist registered a game-high 15 tackles for UMC and has moved ahead of Singer as the leading tackler in the NSIC. Derek Greene led all players with 2.5 tackles for loss.
 
After two weeks on the road, the Marauders return home next Saturday, Oct. 25, to host the MSU Moorhead Dragons in the Battle for the Paddle.
 
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