DULUTH, Minn.--It is a tried and true formula for the Fighting Sioux football team: run the ball, control the clock and play stout defense. That game plan led ninth-ranked UND to an efficient 31-14 win over Minnesota Duluth this afternoon in front of 4,060 at Griggs Field at Malosky Stadium.
UND improved to 7-1 overall and 5-1 in the North Central Conference, while the Bulldogs fell to 3-6 and 2-5.
Sophomore running back Ryan Chappell (Grand Forks, N.D.) was the centerpiece of the offense, carrying a career-high 36 times for 142 yards and a touchdown, as the Sioux chewed up nearly 40 minutes in time of possession.
Junior quarterback Danny Freund (Kenosha, Wis.), meanwhile, accounted for three Sioux touchdowns, running for a pair of scores and throwing for another, a three-yard strike to senior tight end Troy Ott (Dickinson, N.D.) midway through the first quarter.
The Sioux defense did its part, holding a dangerous Bulldog passing attack to just 186 yards of total offense, including a career-low 137 yards passing by junior quarterback Ted Schlafke. Schlafke had entered the week ranked second in the NCC in completions and passing yards, but was largely shut down in a 15-for-27 performance. He was also sacked three times and intercepted once.
Ott's three-yard score capped off a 13-play, 52-yard drive that took nearly five minutes off the clock, an opening sign of things to come for the Sioux offense. UND's first three touchdown drives each lasted at least 4:38 in duration and no fewer than 13 plays in length.
Sophomore kicker Brandon Hellevang (Fargo, N.D.), aided by a strong wind, booted a 40-yard field goal with two seconds left in the opening quarter to give UND a 10-0 lead. That score was set up by Tyler Weigelt's (Sr., Fessenden, N.D.) first career interception.
The Bulldogs were able to get on the board on the ensuing possession, as Schlafke found receiver Bryan Gambuzza for the first of his two touchdown catches on the day, this one a seven-yard effort just 1:48 into the second quarter.
But the Sioux responded with a 13-play, 72-yard drive that took more than six minutes, culminating with a 4-yard scoring rush by Freund on a naked bootleg, his first of two touchdown runs. UND took a 17-7 lead into halftime.
UND stretched the lead to 24-7 with just over five minutes remaining in the third quarter, as Freund found a seam up the middle and scored on an eight-yard run to cap off another lengthy drive, this one a 15-play, 66-yard effort that lasted just under six minutes. The drive was aided by four consecutive third-down conversions, including Freund's TD run.
The Bulldogs were able to pull back within 10 points on another Schlafke-to-Gambuzza connection late in the quarter, but Chappell iced the game with an 11-yard scoring run just over two minutes later.
The Sioux defense was particularly strong in the second half, yielding just 66 yards of total offense, 65 of which came on the lone UMD scoring drive.
On the other side of the ball, UND put together 427 yards of total offense, including 247 along the ground. Chappell, who had 25 carries at halftime, finished with his fifth 100-yard effort of the season and 11th of his career, while Josh Murray (Fr., Pepin, Wis.) provided him with some relief with 83 yards on 16 carries.
Freund, the NCC's top-rated passer, finished 20-for-28 for 180 yards and the lone score, while finding nine different receivers. Senior wide receiver Weston Dressler (Bismarck, N.D.) was his favorite target, catching six passes for 60 yards.
Junior cornerback Drake Otto (Kenosha, Wis.) led the Sioux defense with eight tackles ? all solo ? and picked up the first quarterback sack of his career.
UND also received one sack apiece from linebacker Bobby Stroup (Fargo, N.D.) and defensive end Mike Ebanks (Jr., Orlando, Fla.).
The Sioux will now prepare to face St. Cloud State next Saturday at the Alerus Center, the last home game of the regular season.
Notes: Freshman Joel Schwenzfeier (Hallock, Minn.) made his first career start at strong safety, replacing injured starter Derek Malner (Jr., Gilbert, Minn.) ... Chappell moved into sixth place on UND's career rushing list with 2,496 yards, surpassing Mike Deutsch (1970-72) and Milson Jones (1979-81) ... Dressler eclipsed 3,000 receiving yards for his career ... The win was the 99th as a collegiate head coach for Dale Lennon. It was also his 87th as Sioux head coach, leaving him three wins shy of Roger Thomas' school-record 90 victories.
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