GRAND FORKS, N.D.--North Dakota senior quarterback Danny Freund threw a pair of touchdown passes senior receiver Brady Trenbeath for the second straight week to lift the Fighting Sioux to a 31-17 win over St. Cloud State this afternoon in front of 9,143 at the Alerus Center.
The win lifts UND to 2-0 while the Huskies fall to 0-2.
While Freund, who finished with three touchdown strikes, and Trenbeath had the hot hand offensively, it was a key defensive play that sealed the Sioux win.
After St. Cloud State scored to pull to within 31-17 with 5:52 remaining then and held the Sioux to a three-and-out on the ensuing series, the Huskies strung together another drive and were threatening to score again.
But Sioux junior linebacker Ryan Pollow (Germantown, Wis.) stepped in front of a Mitch Watkins pass at the UND 31-yard line for his first career interception and brought it back 22 yards into Husky territory to extinguish SCSU's comeback hopes.
Despite the late Husky rally, it was the Sioux who controlled virtually the entire game, maintaining a 38:32 - 21:28 edge in time possession and a 31-17 advantage in first downs.
St. Cloud State's Brian Cristan opened the scoring on a 23-yard field goal with 4:09 left in the first quarter, but it was all Sioux from that point on as UND scored 24 straight points.
Freund got the Sioux on the board with 1:15 left in the quarter, hitting senior Jake Caufield (Minot, N.D.) on a quick slant for an 11-yard touchdown. It was Caufield's first touchdown reception since his freshman year of 2005.
After UND linebacker Ross Cochran (Jr., Kenosha, Wis.) forced and recovered an Adam Luckey fumble at the SCSU 28-yard line, junior kicker Brandon Hellevang (Fargo, N.D.) hammered a 46-yard field goal through the uprights to make it a 10-3 lead.
The Sioux added to the lead midway through the second quarter with a little improvisation. Freund escaped the grasp of SCSU defensive lineman Cale Pulczinksi and found Trenbeath behind the coverage and all alone in the end zone for a 30-yard scoring connection, making it 17-3 heading into the half.
The 17-3 UND lead held for much of the third quarter, until Lady Luck bounced UND's way. On 1st-and-goal from the Husky 2-yard line, Sioux running back Brandon Brady (Sr., Bloomington, Minn.) tried to leap up and over the pile at the goal line, but fumbled the ball into the end zone. But the ball rolled right to the feet of Sioux tight end Blair Grover (Sr., Mequon, Wis.), who alertly fell on the ball to give the Sioux a 24-3 lead.
St. Cloud State finally broke UND's scoring run with a 25-yard Fred Williams touchdown reception with 2:49 left in the third quarter, but Freund and Trenbeath quickly provided a counter-punch with a breathtaking hook-up.
On the first play of the fourth quarter, and the Sioux scrimmaging from their own 37, Freund again escaped heavy pressure hit Trenbeath down the seam at the Husky 30. Trenbeath spun off of his defender and avoided three more tackles on his way to the end zone on a brilliant 63-yard catch and run.
Trenbeth, who had a career-high 171 receiving yards in the season opener, finished the day with seven catches for another 124 yards and the two touchdowns.
Senior receiver Alex Nicholas (Franklin, Wis.) added a career-best six catches for 54 yards.
Freund completed 23 of 31 passes for 264 yards and three scores.
The Sioux once again received effective running from the duo of Brady and sophomore Josh Murray (Pepin, Wis.), who combined for 110 yards on 26 carries. Murray carried 16 times for 68 yards while Brady added 42 yards on 10 carries.
Watkins completed 16 of 30 passes for 246 yards and a touchdown, but was intercepted by Pollow and sophomore safety Joel Schwenzfeier (Hallock, Minn.). It was the first career interception for both.
Williams was Watkins' top target, catching five passes for 84 yards and a touchdown. He also had a 66-yard reception nullified by an offensive pass interference penalty.
Luckey carried 11 times for 48 yards, 44 of which came in the first half.
Defensively, the Sioux were led by senior free safety Rory Manke (Detroit Lakes, Minn.), who made eight tackles, six of the solo variety.
Senior defensive end Jeff Richter (St. Cloud, Minn.) had three quarterback hurries against his hometown Huskies.
Darius Dotch had nine tackles, including eight solo, for SCSU. Pulczinski, David Kamin and Josh Popanda each registered a sack.
UND concludes its season-opening three game homestand next Saturday against Wisconsin-LaCrosse, in the annual Potato Bowl and Hall of Fame game. Kickoff is at 1:07 p.m.
Notes: Hellevang became the 10th player in UND history to score 200 career points after booting one field goal and four extra points. He now has 205 career points.
