BELLINGHAM, Wash.--It was the type of offensive display usually reserved for arena football and video games. Tonight, it was the highest-scoring North Central Conference game in league history.

UND junior quarterback Danny Freund (Kenosha, Wis.) threw five touchdown passes and sophomore running back Ryan Chappell (Grand Forks) added four rushing scores to lead the second-ranked Fighting Sioux to a wild 63-42 win over Western Washington in front of 3,076 fans at Bellingham Civic Stadium.

The Sioux offense amassed more than 500 yards for the fourth time in as many games this season. In fact, UND's 622 yards tonight fell just 20 yards shy of a 33-year old school record and the Sioux would need every bit of it against a resilient Western Washington team that managed 470 total yards of its own.

In fact, it was the Vikings who set the tone early in this one, marching 80 yards on 11 plays on the game's opening drive, culminating with a one-yard touchdown plunge by quarterback Adam Perry. WWU would go on to score on three of its first four possessions, keeping pace with UND, who scored touchdowns on its first three possessions, throughout the first half.

UND tied the game at 7-7 when Freund hit senior fullback Andrew Sorbo (Adams, N.D.) out of the backfield for a five-yard touchdown.

Then when the second quarter started, the fireworks started. The two teams combined for 21 points in the first 102 seconds of the period. First, Freund connected with Dressler on a 10-yard pass to give the Sioux a 14-7 lead 1:04 into the quarter. But the Vikings responded on their next play from scrimmage when running back Craig Garner rattled off a 63-yard run, his first of four rushing scores on the day.

The Sioux answered with a one-play drive of their own the next series, as Freund hit Dressler down the middle for a 61-yard pass and run for a 21-14 lead. But Garner scored on a seven-yard run seven minutes later to send the teams to the locker room tied 21-21.

The third quarter proved to be the pivotal one on this night. UND again opened the half with touchdowns on each of its first three possessions of the half. Chappell scored on runs of five and 15 yards, and sophomore receiver Brady Trenbeath (Cavalier, N.D.) hauled in a 40-yard bomb from Freund to seemingly pull the Sioux comfortably ahead at 42-21.

WWU scored on its next drive on a Travis McKee five-yard touchdown reception and seemed to be crawling back into the game after recovering the ensuing onside kick. But UND corner Drake Otto (Jr., Kenosha, Wis.) snuffed out the drive with an interception on the final play of the third quarter.

Then, as the fourth quarter started, it was back to the one-play scoring drives for the Sioux. Chappell broke free from the WWU defense and raced up the sideline untouched for a 90-yard touchdown, the longest run of his career.

Garner sandwiched two more rushing touchdowns around Chappell's fourth of the night, but the Sioux sealed the game with a 31-yard scoring reception by Trenbeath with 55 seconds left on the clock.

Freund, who enjoyed his second five-touchdown game of the year, finished 17-for-22 for 319 yards. Chappell finished the day with 214 yards and the four scores on just 24 carries and now has carried 42 times for 520 yards and six touchdowns in his last two games.

Dressler caught seven passes for 165 yards and two scores ? all in the first half ? while Trenbeath finished with five catches for 108 yards to go with his two scores.

WWU's Garner ran 31 times for 192 yards and four touchdowns.

UND, now 4-0 overall and 2-0 in the NCC, returns home to host Augustana next Saturday in the annual Homecoming game at the Alerus Center.

Notes: UND's 63 points were its most since 2004 against Mesa State, and the most the Sioux have scored in an NCC game since 1972 (69-0 win at Morningside) ... The 63 points were the most allowed by Western Washington since 1978 ... Chappell eclipsed the 2,000-yard rushing plateau for his career and move into a sixth-place tie with Adam Roland on the school's all-time rushing touchdown list with 23 ... The Sioux were without several regulars, including linebackers Matt Bodoh (Jr., Mishicot, Wis.) and Bobby Stroup (So., Fargo, N.D.), defensive lineman Mike Ebanks (Jr., Orlando, Fla.) and running back Brandon Brady (Jr., Bloomington, Minn.) ... Former Sioux Frank Landy, who lettered at UND from 1970-72, was in attendance at today's game. Landy was one of approximately 75 Sioux fans in attendance.