MANAKTO, Minn. --- #13 Minnesota State suffered its second loss of the season Saturday afternoon at Blakeslee Stadium as the Mavericks fell to #25 Augustana 34-16.
With the loss, MSU drops to 6-2 on the season, including a 5-2 NSIC record. With the win, AU improves to 6-2, including a 6-1 conference record.
The first half saw the little scoring as the Mavericks carried a 9-7 lead into halftime. Augustana scored on its opening drive of the first quarter as it drove 83 yards down field, as Isaiah Huber caught a 15-yard touchdown pass from Gunnar Hensley to put the Vikings up 7-0.
Later in the second quarter the Mavericks responded with a 70-yard touchdown drive of their own as senior
Hayden Ekern connected with junior
Grant Guyett on a 19-yard touchdown pass. MSU's two-point conversion attempt failed as the Vikings led 7-6 with 7:26 to go in the second quarter.
On AU's following drove senior
Joey Goettl intercepted a pass in the red zone and returned it all the way to the 50. Two minutes later the Mavericks worked their way down to the Augustana red zone to set up junior
Matt Jaeger who connected on the 27-yard field goal to put the Mavericks up 9-7 heading into halftime.
The second half then saw Augustana reach the scoring column five times as the Vikings went up 34-9 with 3:31 to go in the game. Jarod Epperson had a pair of touchdown runs, while Jake Pecina kicked a pair of field goals from 33 and 30 yards out. Hensley also connected with Canyon Bauer on a 23-yard touchdown pass.
MSU's lone score of the second half came late in the fourth quarter as Ekern completed a 14-yard touchdown pass to senior
Gabe Hagen to bring the final score to 34-16.
Ekern threw for 268 yards and two touchdowns. Guyett finished with six catches for 68 yards and a touchdown, while junior
TreShawn Watson notched 52 receiving yards.
Senior
Antonio Alzheimer led the Maverick defense with nine tackles, including 1.5 tackles for a loss. Seniors
Micah Brown and
Cody Brown both recorded a sack.
Minnesota State continues its season on the road on Saturday, Nov. 2, as it takes on the Northern State Wolves. Kickoff is scheduled for 2 p.m. at Dacotah Bank Stadium.
