Fighting Hawks fall short against Coyotes on the road

(VERMILLION, SD) — The University of North Dakota Fighting Hawks football team took to the road Saturday down I-29, where they found themselves at the DakotaDome against the University of South Dakota Coyotes in Missouri Valley Football Conference play. Despite a three-point deficit at the end of the first quarter, South Dakota found the end zone in the third quarter, en route to a 20-13 win.

Brock Boltmann got the Fighting Hawks on the board with 20 seconds to go in the first quarter, as he pulled in a 20-yard touchdown pass from Tommy Schuster, capping off a seven-play, 75-yard series that spanned just over three minutes. The score pulled the Fighting Hawks to within three points, at 10-7.

The two teams traded scores in the third and fourth quarters, but it was Carson Camp’s 24-yard pass to Wesley Eliodor that put the dagger in the contest, giving South Dakota a 17-7 lead with 8:25 to go in the third quarter.

UND’s Brady Stevens pulled the Fighting Hawks to within seven with 2:24 to go, nailing a 41-yard field goal.

But USD’s Mason Lorber countered with a 54-yard field goal of his own with 12:15 to go in the game. He would be matched with a UND field goal with 5:52 to go, when Stevens nailed one from 25 yards out.

Schuster finished the game 24-of-37 passing for 208 yards and a touchdown. He was sacked once in the contest. Otis Weah finished with 15 rushes for 58 yards, while Boltmann finished with five receptions for 47 yards and the lone Fighting Hawks touchdown in the first period.

UND (2-3, 0-2 MVFC) has a short turnaround, as the Fighting Hawks travel to Carbondale, Ill., next Saturday to take on Southern Illinois, with kickoff set for 2 p.m. at Saluki Stadium. The Salukis are coming off a 42-41 overtime win over No. 2 ranked South Dakota State.