Grand Forks, N.D. – The Youngstown State football team dropped a 35-17 decision to No. 12 North Dakota at the Alerus Center on Saturday afternoon.
The Penguins fall to 3-3 overall and 0-2 in the MVFC while the Fighting Hawks improve to 4-2 and 2-0.
In the contest, WR Max Tomczak caught four passes for 79 yards to become the program's all-time leader in career receptions. The mark of 186 had been held by Jim Ferranti since 1979. Tomczak now has 188 career receptions.
A strong first quarter by the Fighting Hawks put the Guins in a tough spot as UND scored two touchdowns on its first two possessions.
B.J. Fleming caught a nine-yard touchdown pass from Jerry Kaminski and later in the period, Kaminski found Haydn Stay on a 21-yard toss.
In the second, the Penguins pulled within a touchdown as QB Beau Brungard found WR Mike Solomon for a 20-yard score on third-and-12 to cap off an eight-play, 42-yard drive. It was the first YSU touchdown for Solomon.
The Fighting Hawks were able to surge ahead 28-7 at intermission by adding a pair of scores. Running back Gaven Ziebarth scampered 51 yards down the near sidelines just 41 seconds after YSU's first score of the game. The final score of the half, came on a 14-yard pass from Kaminski to Fleming with 8:08 left in the second quarter.
Brungard rushed for 60 yards on 14 carries in the first half while completing 9-of-14 passes for 69 yards and a score.
YSU found its footing in the third quarter, outscoring UND by a 10-0 margin. PK Andrew Lastovka made a 34-yard field goal to pull the Penguins within 28-10 at 7:44 mark. The Guins made things interesting when Brungard found Ky Wilson for a 37-yard touchdown with 4:22 remaining in the period.
UND was able to stretch the lead back out to 35-17 in the fourth quarter following a one-yard run by Ziebarth with 6:40 left in the game.
For the game, Brungard was 18-of-33 for 269 yards and two scores while rushing for 71 yards on 19 attempts. Wilson caught four passes for a career-high 102 yards and a score. On defense, Makai Shahid had a team-leading 11 tackles, including eight solo stops. Dayne Hodge was credited with nine tackles, seven of which were solos.
The Penguins are back on the road next week when they take on Illinois State in Normal, Ill., at Hancock Stadium.
