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Cedar Falls, Iowa -- The Youngstown State football team had sixth-ranked UNI on the ropes but could not deliver the knock-out punch, dropping a heartbreaking 21-17 contest to the Panthers at the UNI-Dome on Saturday afternoon.

YSU (5-4 overall and 3-3 in the Missouri Valley Football Conference) held three leads in the game and did not commit a penalty for nearly 55 minutes but could never get enough breathing room against the Panthers, who knocked off the Penguins for the 11th straight time.

YSU took a 17-14 lead early in the fourth quarter and had two opportunities with the lead to put the game out of reach. However, UNI's defense, which had allowed 13 touchdowns all season entering the game, stiffened to keep the offense in it.

Finally, the Panthers (7-2 and 6-1) were led on the game-winning drive by reserve quarterback Jared Lanpher, who played in place of an injured Tirrell Rennie.

But it didn't come easy.

On fourth-and-goal inside the YSU 1-yard line, the Penguins interior defensive line stopped the initial surge, but second effort by David Johnson gave him the touchdown and put UNI in front 21-17 with 1:59 left.

Junior tight end Will Shaw caught a 38-yard score for the first touchdown of his YSU career on the fourth play of the fourth quarter to give the Penguins their third lead of the contest. Kurt Hess lofted a perfect toss to Shaw, who caught the ball at the 10 and was able to find his way into the end zone with 13:42 left in the fourth.

The third quarter was dominated by the defenses. The Penguins put the clamps on the Panthers, allowing just 13 yards and no first downs during the period. Conversely, YSU managed 46 yards of its own in the 15 minutes and had a turnover that gave UNI the ball on the Penguins' 42-yard line.

Both teams scored on their first possessions of the game before the defenses settled in until a sequence in the final 30 seconds of the first half that saw both teams score touchdowns.

YSU took a 3-0 lead on its initial drive of the contest. David Brown connected on his first field goal of the season and first of his Penguins career from 28 yards out, capping an 11-play 63-yard drive.

Lanpher threw a 32-yard pass to Terrell Sinkfield with 5:37 left in the first quarter to answer and put UNI on top 7-3.

Jamaine Cook gave YSU a 10-7 edge by scoring on a one-yard leap with 27 seconds left before halftime. The impressive drive was 15 plays for 85 yards and took 7:08 off the clock. The drive was aided by two UNI penalties that gave the Guins first downs.

The advantage was short-lived as the Panthers answered in two plays to seize a 14-10 halftime lead. With six seconds left, Lanpher hit Sinkfield for the second time on a 31-yard scoring toss that capped a lightning-fast, two-play 61-yard drive that put the Guins in a four-point halftime hole.

In the first half, the Penguins had solid offensive balance with 88 yards rushing and 84 yards through the air. UNI's offense was one-sided with 162 of its 177 total offensive yards coming through the air. YSU dominated time of possession, holding onto the ball for 20:46 to the the Panthers' 9:14.

For the game, Hess was 17-of-34 for 175 yards, a touchdown and two interceptions. Cook ran for 90 yards on 30 attempts. Lanpher was 16-of-28 for 238 yards and two touchdowns in his first career start.

The Penguins are back on the road next Saturday when they visit top-ranked and undefeated North Dakota State. Kickoff at the Fargodome is set for 4 p.m. Eastern time. The contest will be carried on the WBCB and 570 WKBN.