BEMIDJI, Minn. (Chet Anderson Stadium) - Dreams of a Bemidji State University victory to open the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference season in the 11th Annual Shrine Game were slashed Saturday afternoon by Minnesota State University. The Mavericks' running attack piled up 229 yards and a pair of touchdowns while the team added two touchdown strikes to down the Beavers 28-14.

MSU's potent running attach chipped away at the BSU defense and gave the Mavericks ownership of the ball for over 34 minutes. The 229-yard performance was the most a BSU defensive unit has allowed since the Concordia University-St. Paul accumulated 299 yards Sept. 23, 2006.

On a picture-perfect afternoon at the Lake Bemidji-lined Chet Anderson Stadium, the Mavericks struck first when they used 13 plays to march 73 yards down the field capped with a eight-yard touchdown pass from Ryan Fick to Vincent Flury on their first possession of the contest.

The Beavers responded with a bit of trickery to knot the game at 7-7 just 85 seconds later. Three plays into the drive with a new set of downs, Derek Edholm (So., QB, Anoka, Minn.) handed the ball to Cameron Abrams (Fr., WR, Brooklyn Park, Minn.) on a reverse. Abrams dropped back and lofted the ball 40 yards into the open hands of George Kadlec (Sr., WR, Chicago, Ill.) for his third touchdown reception of the season and the 15th of his career.

The catch tied him with Ben Woodford (1997-2000) for seventh on BSU career touchdown receptions list.

MSU would extend its lead to 14-7 before time ran out on the first stanza when Fick and Flury connected from 25 yards out to cap a five-play, 47-yard drive with just over a minute left.

The BSU offense sputtered as the second quarter got underway. It took the Beavers over 11 minutes and three possessions before they moved the ball in to Maverick territory. On that drive, BSU advanced the chains 53 yards to land on the MSU two-yard line setting itself up with a first-and-goal from the two, but would fizzle out as Edholm was be sacked on back-to-back plays. BSU would go for it on fourth down from the 14 yard-line and turn the ball over on downs swinging the momentum swung in the direction of the visitors.

MSU countered with an 11-play, 74-yard drive that would bring it deep into BSU territory with just moments to play in the first half. The Maverick coaching staff elected for a 27-yard field goal attempt, but sophomore defensive back Aaron Roland (Wahpeton, N.D.) would keep MSU off the scoreboard blocking the Spencer Goff kick--the first of two the sophomore blocked on the day marking the first time BSU has blocked two kicks in a game since the Beavers blocked two PATs versus Northern State University Sept. 30, 2006. The block left the score at 21-7 as the teams ran off the field for the intermission.

Penalties would plague each team on their first drive of the half. But the a one-yard touchdown plunge by Julian Phipps stretched MSU's lead to 28-7 with 2:59 to play in the third quarter.

Bemidji State answered with a sustained, 64-yard drive capped with a five-yard pass from Edholm to Abrams. The successful Paul Potemra (So., K/P, Poolesville, Md.) point-after attempt made the score 28-14 and would draw to close the scoring.

The Maverick offense out gained the Beavers 443-274 on the day led by its ground attack. Phipps paced the team with 98 yards and a touchdown on 23 carries while Ernest Walker scampered 18 times for 92 yards and a score.

MSU also managed 214 yards through the air as Fick was 18-of-34 with two touchdown strikes.

For the second straight game, the Bemidji State offense was led by the combination of Edholm and Kadlec. Edholm completed 19-of-34 pass attempts for 185 yards and a score while Kadlec grabbed five passes for 94 yards including the 40-yard touchdown catch.

The MSU defense held BSU's ground game to just 49 yards with Abrams racking up 27 yards on four carried to lead the team.

Terrell Phelps (Sr., CB, Lincolnton, N.C.) and Josh Karch (Sr., LB, Moorhead, Minn.) spearheaded the BSU 'Gang Green' defense with 12 tackles apiece. Dusty Sluzewicz (Fr., DB, Homer Glen, Ill.), Tiger Ellison (Jr., CB, Columbus, Ohio) and Brody Scheff (Fr., DB, Waconia, Minn.) each nabbed the first interception of their career in the game.

The Beavers, 1-1 overall and 0-1 in league play, begins a two-game road swing next Saturday, Sept. 13 when they travel to Winona, Minn. to face defending NSIC champion Winona State University in a 1 p.m. contest.

-bsu-