Box Score
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ABERDEEN, S.D. - The Northern State Wolves rallied from 21-9 down to take the lead twice late in the game, but a 26-yard field goal off the foot of Southwest Minnesota State Mustang senior Lance Schuveiller as time expired gave the visiting Mustangs a 32-30 victory, effectively foiling NSU's 2012 home opener.

NSU slipped to 0-2 on the year and 0-2 in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference play while the Mustangs moved to an even 1-1 overall and NSIC mark.  SMSU's victory also avenges a season-opening loss to the Wolves in 2011.

The Wolves got off to a slow start offensively, but got a shot in the arm defensively after junior safety Jayson Geditz picked off a Tyler Peschong pass and returned it 92 yards for a touchdown to open the scoring.  It was the second-longest interception return by an NSU player since 1998 and gave the Wolves a 6-0 lead after the PAT attempt into a stiff north wind missed wide right.

From there, the Mustangs controlled much of the rest of the first half, scoring two quick touchdowns in the first quarter to go up 14-6.  After a Felipe Alfaia field goal cut it to 14-9, SMSU took advantage of a short field following an NSU penalty on the kick-off set the Mustangs up at midfield.  SMSU needed just five plays and 35 seconds to score on the second play of the second quarter to go up 21-9.

The two teams traded punts until the Wolves took over near midfield and rode three straight Jared Jacobson completions and another three Jacobson runs to punch the ball in the endzone with 37 seconds remaining in the half, sending the Wolves to the break trailing by five.

The Mustangs got the ball to start the second half, but could do nothing with it and were forced to punt the ball away.  NSU struck back on the ensuing drive to take the lead for the first time since the opening minutes of the game.  Jacobson, who had not completed a pass until that final drive of the half, found a streaking Mark Hanley down the near sideline from 45 yards out for the score.  Hanley made a nice bobbling catch, tipping the ball back to himself on the run before corralling it and racing in for the touchdown.

Jacobson finished the night 6 of 14 for 92 yards and a TD while racking up 84 yards on the ground for another score.

The fourth quarter provided the most drama of the night, as the two teams traded touchdowns and leads right up until the final horn.  SMSU recovered a botched NSU hand-off in the endzone with 11:15 remaining, then tacked on a 2-point conversion to go up 29-23.

NSU answered with a sustained drive of 13 plays that covered 75 yards and nearly seven minutes.  John Hughes, who just missed his first 100-yard game in an NSU uniform, capped the drive with a four-yard dive.  Alfaia's kick made it a 30-29 affair with 4:20 to go.  That drive featured two fourth-down conversions by the Wolves, once on a 25-yard Hughes run around the right side on 4th-and-1 and another on a five-yard scramble by Jacobson on 4th-and-4.

SMSU took over on the kick-off and picked up a quick first down on a pair of Peschong running plays.  The NSU defense then held strong on four straight Mustang pass attempts, including a 4th-and-10 sack by Michael Alberts and Ryan Weybrecht.

NSU took over with 2:54 left in the game and drove the ball down to the Mustang 17, where a delay of game penalty pushed them back out of the red zone.  SMSU took over there on downs with 1:04 left to play and proceeded to mount  what proved to be the game-winning drive.  Tyler Peschong found Anthony Dean for 25 yards.  Two straight incompletions and one completion for a loss gave the Wolves hope, but a 49-yard Hail Mary - again to Dean - set the mustangs up deep in NSU territory.

Peschong spiked the ball to stop the clock with three seconds remaining and Schuveiller drove it home for the Mustangs.

SMSU out-gained the Wolves by more than 100 yards of total offense, which was offset by Geditz' 92-yard interception return.  Hughes finished with 99 yards on the ground on 23 carries.  Receivers Jordan Piatz and Ben Jastram had two catches apiece for 24 and 18 yards, respectively.  Defensively, Logan Fahnhorst totaled 12 tackles for the Wolves.

The Mustangs were led by Gannon Moore on the ground.  Moore carried the ball 19 times for 117  yards and two touchdowns.  Peschong finished his day going 15-for-33 for 225 yards and a touchdown.  The senior spread the ball around to four different receivers, including Abe Kos (five catches, 58 yards), Tyler Erickson (3 catches, 48 yards, 1 TD) and Dean (2 catches, 74 yards).

NSU is on the road next weekend to face Winona State.  Kick-off is set for 4:30 p.m. in Winona.