UMD Mens Remain Unbeaten

NSO – NEWS RELEASE

For the second time in as many road games this season, the University of Minnesota Duluth found itself in need of a second-half comeback and for the second time in as many road games, it got it.

Sophomore quarterback Drew Bauer and freshman wide out Nate Ricci hooked up on a pair of touchdowns three minutes apart midway through the fourth quarter to erase a 21-13 deficit and send the University of Minnesota Duluth past host Winona State University 28-21 Saturday night. The comeback victory kept the No. 4 Bulldogs’ perfect 2014 record intact at 4-0 while No. 20 Winona State was knocked from the ranks of the unbeatens (3-1) while falling to their long-time Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference rivals for the sixth straight time.

Although all three of its touchdowns came via the air,  UMD once again did the large majority of its offensive damage on the ground en route to extending the program’s regular season winning streak to 12 games going back to last fall. The Bulldogs amassed 273 yards on a season-high 57 rushes, which helped them double up the Warriors in ball control time time (40:20 to 19:40). Junior running back Logan Lauters registered his third 100-yard night of 2014 (and eighth of his career) with 128 yards on 19 carries while senior running back Austin Sikorski added 120 yards on 21 touches. With his 13th lifetime 100-yard game, Sikorski moved up two spots — past his former teammate, quarterback Chase Vogler (2009-12), and All-American running back Ted McKnight (1973-76) — into fourth place on UMD’s all-time rushing charts. The 2014 NSIC North Division Preseason Offensive Player of the Year now has 2,969 yards as a Bulldog.

After blocking a Bulldog punt six minutes into the opening quarter, Winona State needed just one play — a 32-yard pass from Jack Nelson and Josh Mikes  — to hit pay dirt and take a quick 7-0 lead. Andrew Brees nailed a 30-yard field goal early in the second quarter to make it 7-3 and that score remained until 11:08 in the third when Nelson connected with Allen May on a 57-yard bomb. UMD took advantage of a Winona State miscue (a muffed punt that was recovered by sophomore Beau Bofferding) by striking three plays later on senior wide out Zach Zweifel‘s first touchdown catch of the year  — a 27-yarder from Bauer. Brees’ 27-yard field goal at 4:27 of that same quarter cut the UMD deficit to 14-13. With 2:42 gone in the fourth, Mikes and Nelson teamed up again from 46 yards, giving the Warriors their last lead of the night at 21-13. On the ensuing kickoff, senior Aaron Roth bolted 72 yards deep into Winona State territory and a facemasking penalty on the play gave UMD the ball at the Warrior 11-yard line. Three plays later, Bauer found Ricci in the end zone and Bauer’s two-point conversion pass to junior linebacker Nathan Zibolski drew UMD even at 21-21. The Warriors then went three-and-out and UMD proceeded to march the ball 52 yards on five plays, the last being a 15-yard Bauer-to-Ricci touchdown toss.

Winona State still had plenty of time to rally, but with 3:28 to go the Bulldogs came up big on a fourth-and-one situation from their 37-yard line and went on to run out the clock.

Bauer completed 13 of 21 passes for 151 yards on the night, but did throw his first pick of the season. Nelson rolled up 274 yards (the most by a UMD opponent  in 2014) while going 9-of-26.

UMD, which came from behind inthe second half to defeat Augustana College 23-22 in overtime on the road two weeks ago, will be back at James S. Malosky Stadium next Saturday night for its first NSIC North Division assignment of the year against Minnesota State University-Moorhead. The game has been designated as the Bulldogs’ annual Military Appreciation Night.