Box Score Winona, Minn. – Playing without their starting quarterback and trailing by two touchdowns at intermission on the road, it would have been easy for the University of Mary football team to pack it in. Instead, the Marauders battled from behind all day against a high-powered Winona State University squad before simply running out of time in a 42-34 loss to the Warriors.
 
Forced to play without injured quarterback Zach Roberson, the Marauders turned to redshirt freshman Ben Jolliffe. In his first collegiate start, the Bismarck, N.D., native threw three touchdown passes to keep U-Mary in striking distance of Winona State all afternoon.
 
The Marauders, who overcame a 16 point fourth quarter deficit the previous week, slips to 1-1 overall and in the NSIC. The Warriors improve to 2-0.
 
The Warriors scored on the first possession of the game when Theo Burkett ran in from 11 yards out on the Statue of Liberty play. The scamper capped a 6-play, 70-yard drive just 2:16 into the game.
 
Ben Jolliffe wasted no time in striking back, connecting with his brother Nick Jolliffe, an All-Northern Sun wide receiver, from 18 yards out to even the game at 7-7.
 
After WSU went ahead 14-7 on a 53 yard Jack Nelson to Justin Bergeron scoring strike, U-Mary took advantage of great field position at the WSU 35 yard line following a poor Warriors punt. On the first play of the second half, Ben Jolliffe found Myron Baldoz-McArn for a 26-yard touchdown pass to tie the contest.
 
The remainder of the second quarter belonged to the Warriors as Nelson threw touchdown passes of 18 and 25 yards for a 28-14 lead at intermission.
 
U-Mary used two big plays in the third to again pull even. Elby Pope set a school record with an 89 yard punt return for a touchdown at 12:07 of the third to make the score 28-21. The all-NSIC kick returner broke the old mark of 75 yards by Derek Schatz against South Dakota School of Mines and Technology in 2001. It is the second punt return for a touchdown by Pope in his career.
 
The defense provided the next score. Landon Smith hit Nelson behind the line and forced an errant pitch. Austin Bolton scooped up the ball and raced 57 yards for the score to tie the game 28-28 at 5:37 of the third quarter.
 
Receiving votes in the national poll, the Warriors reasserted themselves in the fourth quarter of their home opener. Nelson drove his team 77 yards in ten plays and scored the touchdown on a one yard run. Three plays later, WSU increased its lead to 42-28 when Andrew Spencer returned a Jolliffe interception 35 yards at the 7:00 mark.
 
The Marauders hope virtually ended on their next possession. U-Mary drove to the home 17 yard line but Jolliffe was sacked on a 4^th-and-11 by Aaron Anderson-Walker.
 
Jolliffe managed to get the Marauders into the end zone on the team's next possession but just five seconds remained in the game when Pope caught a 16 yard touchdown pass.
 
The Marauders generated 17 first downs and 296 yards of offense, including 109 on the ground. U-Mary turned the ball over three times, including two interceptions. The Warriors posted 25 first downs and 526 yards of offense, with 422 coming through the air.
 
Ben Jolliffe finished his first start 18-of-30 for 187 yards, three scores and two interceptions. He also ran for 37 yards despite being sacked three times. He connected with his brother Nick nine times for 98 yards and one touchdown. Pope caught three passes for 32 yards and a score.
 
Defensively Grant Singer recorded a career-high 19 tackles. He also had two tackles for loss and a pass breakup. Troy Guptill checked in with 2.5 tackles for loss. Preston Tescher added 12 tackles and a pass breakup. Overall the Marauders posted four sacks and 11 tackles for loss. 
 
Nelson finished 30-of-45 passing for 422 yards and three scores. The Marauders clamped down on his throwing in the second half, limiting Nelson to 83 yards through the air after intermission. Josh Mikes caught seven passes for 121 yards and a score and Dylan Ulferts made nine catches for 118 yards.
 
The Marauders now return home to face Concordia University, St. Paul on Saturday, Sept. 20, for Take a Kid to the Game Day and Military Appreciation Day. Kickoff is set for 2:30 p.m. at the MDU Resources Community Bowl.
 
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