WINONA, Minn. --- It went down to the wire Saturday afternoon on the road, but Minnesota State could not overcome Winona State as the Mavericks fell to the Warriors 18-16.

With the loss, MSU finishes its season with a 6-5 record, while WSU ends its season with a 7-4 record.

Minnesota State scored on its opening drive of the game as it drove 52 yards down field to set up a 21-yard field goal from sophomore Damian Chowaniec. The Maverick defense would hold the Warriors on their opening drive, but the Warrior defense put WSU on the board with a safety after a sack on MSU's next possession.

The Warriors would then score on their next two drives to build a 12-3 lead before the first quarter came to an end. Jacob Scott connected on a 27-yard field goal, before Owen Burke hooked up with Jaylen Schliecher on an 11-yard touchdown pass.

In the second quarter the Mavericks bounced back with a pair of scores of their own to take a 13-12 lead into halftime. Senior JD Ekowa completed a one-yard touchdown pass to junior Jalen Sample, before Chowaniec connected on a 30-yard field goal as time expired in the second quarter. It was during the second quarter that Sample became the eighth Maverick in program history to record more than 1,000 receiving yards in a season.

Winona State opened the third quarter with a 63-yard drive that was capped off with a 26-yard field goal from Scott to put the Warriors up 15-13. On the following drive MSU drove down to the WSU 32 but Chowaniec's 49-yard field goal attempt was blocked. Three plays into WSU's next drive saw sophomore Grant Nagel pick off Burke and set up the Mavericks on the Winona State 41. Seven plays later, Chowaniec connected on a 30-yard field goal to put MSU back in front 16-15 with less than a minute to go in the third quarter.

The Warriors answered right back on their following drive as they drove 56 yards to set up Scott for a 31-yard field goal with 10:01 left in the game to put WSU up 18-16. Minnesota State was forced to punt on its next drive and Winona State would drain the clock down to :25 before the Mavericks got the ball back on their own 26. MSU managed to get up to the WSU 48 in the closing seconds but it could get no closer as the Warriors held on to the 18-16 win.

Freshman Christian Vasser finished his day with 104 rushing yards, marking the first time in his career that he has rushed for more than 100 yards in a game at Minnesota State. Ekowa finished with 74 passing yards and a touchdown. Sample led the MSU receiving corps with 57 yards to bring his season total to 1,047 receiving yards which are the 10th most in a season in team history.

Junior Nic Vinson led the Maverick defense in tackles with seven, while junior Somon Anderson and senior Jack Leius each recorded six.

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