ST. CLOUD, MN – Never trailing until 67 seconds remained in the opening game of the season, the University of Mary suffered a heartbreaking loss. On the road facing a team UMary has never beaten in Craig Bagnell's head coaching debut with a youthful squad, the Marauders battled before they were narrowly edged 14-13 by St. Cloud State University.
 
Keyed by a defensive stop on a 4^th-and-1 by the Huskies at the UMary 3-yard line on the second drive of the game, the Marauders held the Huskies to 360 yards on 87 plays. The Marauders intercepted two Huskies passes and kept the Huskies off the scoreboard until the third quarter.
 
UMary quarterback Jordan Velarde opened the scoring with a 20 yard scramble with 8:25 remaining in the first half. Running down the right sideline, the junior dove to the near pylon on the right side for the score and a 7-0 lead.
 

 
SCSU pulled even 7-7 midway in the third quarter before UMary regained its lead.
 
With time running down in the third stanza, Velarde swung the ball out to Tyson Carney on the left sideline. Picking up a key block by junior lineman Rory Olson, Carney sprinted 51 yards for the score with nine seconds left. A missed point after touchdown conversion attempt left the Marauders up 13-7.
 
With neither team gaining traction in the fourth quarter, the Huskies had one more opportunity. Taking over at their own 20 yard line with 2:45 to play, SCSU drove the field in 11 plays, moving in front for the first time all day when Dwayne Lawhorn connected with John Solberg in the back of the end zone from 15 yards out with 1:07 left in the game to take a 14-13 lead. It was the second time Lawhorn and Solberg combined for a touchdown.
 



Velarde finished the game 18-for-32 for 191 yards. Luke Little caught four passes for 54 yards and Garrett Weissinger four for 56. Carney had three grabs for 56 yards and a score.
 
Bailey Meyer had a big game, averaging 48.1 yards per punt, including a 75 yard effort. Two of his seven punts were downed inside the 20 yard line.
 
Jamison Lytle led the Marauders with 2.5 tackles for loss. Jarad Zittleman had a team-high eight tackles. Paul Guptill and Marquell Evans both posted interceptions for UMary.
 
Lawhorn threw for 255 yards and two touchdowns to pace SCSU. Solberg caught 12 passes for 148 yards and two scores. Curtwan Evans added 57 yards rushing.
 
The Marauders open their home schedule against Bemidji State University at 2 pm on Saturday, September 8, at the MDU Resources Community Bowl.
 


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