ABERDEEN, ND – In a game featuring seven touchdowns and 572 yards of offense by the University of Mary, it was the Marauders defense that sealed a 49-42 road win over Northern State University.
 
With the Marauders leading 49-42 after three quarters, UMary held Northern State scoreless in the fourth. Three times the Wolves took possession with a chance to pull even and three times the Marauders stopped Northern State cold. Only once did the Wolves make a first down in the fourth quarter.
 
No play loomed larger than a game-clinching sack by Jack Barry. With under two minutes remaining in the game and Northern State facing a 4^th down and 9 from their own 37, Barry zoomed past the Wolves right tackle and raced unimpeded at quarterback Hunter Trautman, drilling him in the chest and forcing a fumble. NSU recovered the ball but failed to advance far enough for a first down.
 
Three snaps later the Marauders (2-3 overall/Northern Sun, 1-0 NSIC North) earned their second straight road win and snapped a 6-game losing streak against the Wolves (3-2, 0-1). NSU entered the game sitting in second place in the Northern Sun.
 
UMary came out flying. On their first offensive play of the game, the Marauders ran a reverse flea flicker to perfection. Logan Nelson threw deep down the right sideline to a wide-open Jaden Andresen for a 61 yard touchdown pass, the first of four UMary touchdowns in the opening quarter.
 
An interception by Isaiah Pittman – his second of the season – set up the Marauders second score. After Nelson opened the possession with a 22 yard run, Nelson finished the drive on a swing pass to Danny Kittner to the left side. Behind blocks from Little and Andresen, Kittner raced into the end zone untouched from 12 yards out to cap a 53 yard drive.
 
Dave Small Jr. keyed the Marauders next scoring drive, bursting for 43 yards to set up a 30 yard scoring pass from Nelson to Little for a 21-0 lead.
 
After UMary's defense forced a 3-and-out, the Marauders took over at their own 3 yard line. Six plays later, Small bounced outside for a 1-yard touchdown run to push the advantage to 28-0 with 48 seconds on the clock.
 
The Marauders offense showed no signs of slowing down in the second quarter as NSU and UMary traded touchdowns. After the Wolves got on the board, UMary responded with a 75 yard drive, capped when Little hauled in a 6 yard TD pass from Nelson.
 
With the Wolves offense now fully engaged, Little's 3^rd touchdown of the first half came on a 33 yard pass from Nelson for a 42-14 lead. Northern State scored with 8 seconds left before intermission to close within 42-21.
 
Northern State kept charging in the third, scoring the first two touchdowns to close the gap to 42-35.
 
UMary halted the Northern State run with another 75 yard scoring drive. A 17 yard run by Small and a 25 yard grab by Andresen preceded a 44 yard touchdown pass from Nelson to Kittner. Nelson's 6^th scoring pass of the game tied the UMary school record and increased the Marauders lead to 49-35.
 
The Wolves followed up with one more touchdown in the third to set up a dramatic fourth quarter dominated by the Marauders defense.
 
The Marauders rolled up a season-high 572 yards of offense, including 435 yards passing and 138 on the ground. UMary's impressive total of 25 first downs was a season low. The Wolves finished with 443 yards of offense with 333 yards through the air and 26 first downs.
 
The 49 points is the most scored by the Marauders since a 52-45 win over MSU Moorhead in 2014. The 91 points are the most in a Marauders game since 99 were scored in a 55-44 loss at St. Cloud State in the final game of 2014.
 
Nelson set a career-highs for passing yards (434) and touchdown passes (6). He completed 24-of-34 passes and ran for 40 yards. The six touchdown passes equaled the single game school record total previously established by Paul Cronin (1994) and Zach Roberson (twice in 2014). It was the second straight 400 yard passing game for Nelson and the fourth time throwing for at least four TDs.
 
Kittner set a school mark by cracking 100 yards receiving for a 5^th straight game. The nation's leader in receptions and yardage caught nine passes for 153 yards and two TDs. He also had 46 yards in returns to finish with 199 all purpose yards. Both Kittner and Little now have 9 TD receptions this season.
 
Andresen posted a career-best 106 yards and a touchdown on three catches. Little set a career-high with three touchdowns, hauling in six passes for 93 yards.
 
Small cracked the century mark for the second time this season and ran for a touchdown for a third straight game, toting the ball 19 times for 115 yards and a score. He also caught two passes for 36 yards.
 
Barry finished with two sacks and three tackles for loss. Nate Eschleman also had a sack, broke up a pass and made a team-eight stops (seven solo). Their combined three sacks are the first of the season for the Marauders. Tylen Small added seven tackles, including one for a loss.
 
Trautman paced the Wolves with 333 yards and five touchdowns passing and 34 yards rushing. Dakota Larson caught 11 passes for 103 yards. Dewaylon Ingram had nine grabs for 153 yards.
 
Homecoming '21 in next up for the Marauders when UMary hosts the University of Minnesota Duluth on Saturday, Oct. 9. Kickoff is set for 2 pm at the MDU Resources Community Bowl.
 
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