ABERDEEN, S.D. —- #24 Minnesota State's fourth quarter rally nearly succeeded Saturday evening in Aberdeen, S.D., but the Northern State Wolves were able to hang on for the 23-22 win.
With the loss, MSU drops to 2-1 on the season. With the win, NSU improves to 2-1.
Freshman Camden Dean completed 13 passes for 200 yards and three touchdowns for the Mavericks. Senior Jalen Sample led the Maverick receiving corps with six catches for 95 yards and a touchdown. Senior Nyles Williams added 89 receiving yards and a touchdown also, while sophomore Gabe Hagen caught two passes for 60 yards and a touchdown.
Sophomore Jacob Dalton led the Maverick defense with 10 tackles, while junior Trent Carpenter tallied seven tackles. Sophomore Terrell Hall posted six tackles and broke up four passes also.
Northern State got the first points of the game at 8:31 of the second quarter as Payton Eue connect on a 28-yard field goal to cap off a 17-play drive. A 16-yard touchdown run from Will Madler extended NSU's lead to 10-0 with 3:00 to go in the second quarter. The Wolves would carry their 10-0 lead into halftime.
NSU started the third quarter with an eight-play drive that was capped off by a 33-yard field goal from Eue to increase Northern State's lead to 13-0. A Maverick fumble on the following drive would set up NSU on the Maverick 26. Madler then connected with Wyatt Block on a 26-yard touchdown pass to put the Wolves up 20-0.
Eue connected on a 33-yard field goal to open the fourth quarter to put NSU up 23-0, but the Mavericks reached the scoreboard on their following drive as a 30-yard touchdown pass from freshman Camden Dean to sophomore Gabe Hagen cut NSU's lead to 23-7. Dean notched his second touchdown pass of the game, this time a 15-yard pass to senior Nyles Williams to bring the score to 23-13 with 8:45 to go in the game.
After forcing another NSU punt, the Mavericks went 70 yards in nine plays to cut NSU's lead to three at 23-20 as Dean completed a five-yard touchdown pass to senior Jalen Sample with 2:23 to go. The Mavericks then pinned the Wolves deep and forced a punt. On the punt, sophomore Joey Goettl blocked the kick and it rolled out the back of the end zone for a safety to bring the score to 23-22 with 2:23 to go.
The Mavericks managed to get back up to the NSU 40 in the final minute but an interception by Northern State's Ar'Shon Willis ended MSU's rally as Northern State held on to the 23-22 win.
Minnesota State returns home for its annual Homecoming game against the University of Mary on Saturday, Sept. 24. Kickoff is scheduled for 2:00 p.m.
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