MOORHEAD, Minn. (Alex Nemzek Stadium) - Minnesota State University, Moorhead gained possession of the coveted Battle Axe for the first time since 1999 today with a 27-7 victory over the Bemidji State University football team at Alex Nemzek Stadium in Moorhead, Minn.

The Dragons threw aside an eight-game losing streak to the Beavers using a school-record 94-yard punt return to take a 7-0 lead less than four minutes into the game and would add three rushing touchdowns to earn their first Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference victory of the season.

Aside from a two-yard Brandon Miles (So., RB, Kenai, Alaska) touchdown run to cap a 10-play, 67-yard drive in the moments before the halftime break, the Dragon defense kept the BSU offensive attack off balance. BSU managed just 13 rushing yards in the game--the teams lowest output since its gained just 14 yards on the ground versus Concordia University-St. Paul Sept. 20, 2003. In addition, MSUM got to Beaver quarterback Derek Edholm (So., Anoka, Minn.) seven times marking the most quarterback sacks BSU has given up since it allowed University of Minnesota Duluth 10 to open the 2007 season.

In all, BSU accumulated a season-low output of just 217 yards of total offense.

After building a 7-0 lead on the spectacular return by Josh Johnson the first time the Dragons touched the ball, it looked as if the Beavers would be next to put points on the scoreboard.

Jake Anderson (Jr., LB, Karlstad, Minn.) stepped in front of a Craig Kutz pass at the MSUM 48-yardline and grabbed his second interception of the season. He set the Beavers up with what looked to be their best opportunity of the game, returning the interception 42 yards, but an illegal block on the return would shift BSU from a first-and-goal on the six-yard line to 1-an-10 from the 50.

Behind a Edholm, the Beavers regrouped and marched down to the nine yard line, but an ill-timed quarterback sack for a loss of 10 stacked the odds against the Beavers and forced them into a 37-yard field goal attempt. Jesse Sundby (Fr., K/P, Argyle, Minn.) missed the attempt wide to the right and the Beavers would hand the ball back to the Dragons.

MSUM capitalized on the opportunity posting a sustained 13-play, 80-yard drive capped by a one-yard touchdown plunge by the Dragon quarterback. MSUM would take a 13-0 lead after a PAT attempt was blocked by George Kadlec (Sr., WR, Chicago, Ill.).

Bemidji State closed the deficit to 13-7 with just over four minutes to play into he first half. The Beavers put together 10 plays, including a team-high 14-yard carry by Miles before the sophomore found the end zone from a yard out--the score was Miles' team-leading third rushing touchdown of 2008.

MSU Moorhead stretched its 13-7 halftime lead to 21-7 on its first possession of the second half. It took the Dragons 11 plays and just over four minutes to gain 63 yards, which included a two-yard TD run by Tim Hanson. A successful two-point conversion pass put the Dragons up by seven.

With just over six minutes to go, MSUM would slam the door on a BSU comeback when Eli Schaumburg intercepted an Edholm pass and returned it 43 yards to the BSU two yard line. Enol Gilles put the final nail in the coffin when he took the hand off and ran into the end zone to make it 27-7.

Edholm finished the game completing 19-of-30 pass attempts for 171 yards while throwing an interception. He completed five passed to both Kadlec and Andrew Schultz (So., WR, Grand Forks, N.D.). Kadlec led all BSU receivers with 69 yards. On the ground, Miles gained 21 yards on 11 carries to pace the team.

Defensively, the tandem of Andrew Eagan (So., LB, Sauk Village, Ill.) and George Perack-Dennet (Fr., LB, Wasilla, Alaska) each posted 10 tackles, while Eagan also led the team with three tackles-for-loss. Anderson added five tackles (one solo) to his interception and Josh Karch (Sr, LB, Moorhead, Minn.) recorded four tackles and his first sack of 2008 in front of his hometown crown.

Bemidji State (1-3; 0-3 NSIC) returns home Sept. 27 in search of its first Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference victory of the season. The Beavers host Northern State University (0-3; 0-2 NSIC) in the team's annual Homecoming Game. Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m. at BSU's own Chet Anderson Field.

-bsu-