BISMARCK, ND – In search for a second straight home win, the University of Mary football team fell just short of their goals in a narrow 26-23 loss to visiting Wayne State College. Played with winds blowing steady over 25 miles per hour out of the west throughout the game and snow flurries in the second half, the Wildcats scored last in a back-and-forth contest that was in doubt until the closing seconds.
 
After holding the Wildcats to just a field goal in the opening stanza while Wayne State played with the wind, the Marauders took immediate advantage when they were able to operate with the wind to their back. On the first play of the second quarter, Logan Nelson burst 27 yards for the touchdown to give the Marauders a 7-3 lead. A Brandon McFarlane 28 yard reception keyed the Marauders 7-play 79 yard drive.
 
The Wildcats immediately responded with an 18 yard scoring run by Lorenzo Logwood. UMary blocked the extra point but Wayne State held a 9-7 lead.
 
A pair of big plays on the Marauders next possession gave the led back to UMary. Leonardo Vecchi caught a 43 yard pass from Nelson and a 23 yard run by Scott Tripp pushed the ball into the red zone to set up a Brody Riggs 30 yard field goal, giving UMary a 10-9 lead at intermission.
 
A Richard Bendish interception on the third play of the season half set the Marauders up at the Wildcats 43 yard line. Moving with the wind, Nelson found McFarlane for an 18 yard touchdown pass five plays later. Following a missed extra point attempt, the Marauders lead grew to 16-9.
 
Turning to a potent ground attack that generated 311 yards on the day, the Wildcats scored the next ten points to take the lead. A Wayne State quarterback sack deep in UMary territory resulted in a fumble recovered by the Wildcats at the UMary 1 yard line led to a touchdown on the next play by Longwood to even the game at 16-16.
 
The Marauders next possession ended with a blocked punt that turned into a 27 yard field goal by Ethan Knudson with 5:17 left in the third and the Wildcats leading 19-16.
 
UMary was able to right the ship on their first possession of the fourth quarter. Taking over at the Wayne State 35 and driving into the wind, Danny Kittner caught a 27 yard pass to get the Marauders to the Wildcats 9 yard line. Two plays later Nelson found Luke Little in the left corner of the end zone for a 6 yard scoring pass with 8:32 left in the game. Riggs added the extra point and UMary regained the lead at 23-19.
 
The Wildcats struck quickly, moving 60 yards in four plays, the final 41 yards on a spring to the end zone by Devin Merkuris for the winning points at the 7:12 mark.
 
The Marauders next drive looked promising. Behind a 12 yard run by Tripp, a 20 yard catch by Kittner and a 15 yard burst by Bryan Lumsden, the Marauders were on the move but an interception on a 3^rd-and-8 play from the WSC 30 yard line ended the threat. UMary had one final possession from deep in their own territory with 1:37 to play but couldn't gain any traction.
 
Tripp ran for 91 yards to lead the Marauders offense. Lumsden added 35 and UMary posted 149 of the team's 332 yards of offense on the ground.
 
Nelson threw for two scores and 183 yards, completing 11-of-21 passes. Little had three catches for 24 yards and a score, Vecchi two for 53 yards, Kittner two for 47 yards and McFarlane two for 45 yards and a touchdown.
 
Bendish led a Marauders defense that held the Wildcats to 350 yards, including just 39 passing. The sophomore defensive back had an interception, a sack and nine tackles. Paul Guptill made 12 tackles and Grady Blewett added ten.
 
Merkuris led Wayne State with 123 yards rushing and the game-winning touchdown. Deshawn Massey had 94 yards and Logwood 43 and two touchdowns. Tyler Thomsen had 13 tackles with an interception. MJ Blankenfeld and Austin Coffman had two sacks each.
 
The Marauders next visit Northern State on Nov. 2 before returning to Bismarck to host Minnesota Duluth and Minnesota Crookston.
 
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