CONWAY, Ark. - For the second season in a row the University of North Dakota wrapped up its season with a close, down-to-the-wire victory. In front of 4,329 fans at First Security Field at Estes Stadium sophomore Broc Bellmore (West Fargo, N.D.) blocked a 43-yard field goal attempt with just 17 seconds left in the game to seal the 17-16 UND victory over Central Arkansas.
The block was Bellmore's second of the game and his fourth of the season. Earlier in the quarter Bellmore knocked down a 42-yard, Eddie Carmona attempt.
After trailing the Bears through the third quarter, the Fighting Sioux (6-5, 2-2 GWC) took a 17-16 lead at 9:33 in the fourth. Senior Brandon Hellevang (Fargo, N.D.) connected from 34 yards out for his 49th career field goal and his 325th career point.
With a pair of extra points, Hellevang finished his career at UND tied with Jeff Glas (2002-05) with a school-record 174 PATs. He also kicked a career-long 72-yard punt
Junior Jake Landry (Grand Forks, N.D.) completed 16-of-28 passes for his fourth 200-yard game of the season and tossed a pair of touchdowns
The first came with under a minute left in the half. Hellevang split the uprights from 46 yards out, but with an offside call on the Bears, the play was called back and UND received an automatic first down at the 24-yard line. On the first play of the new drive, Landry connected with senior Kellen Leupp (WR, Stanley, N.D.) on a 16-yard pass. A holding call on UCA on the next play moved UND half the distance to the goal to the four-yard line.
After an incomplete pass to junior Ryan Dressler (WR, Bismarck, N.D.), Landry's pass to sophomore Chris Anderson (WR, Duluth, Minn.) bounced off of UCA's Anthony Gambles and into the air. Anderson tracked down the loose ball, brought it out of the air, and took it in for the touchdown. With the kick from Hellevang, the Sioux cut the Bear lead to 13-7.
UND's second touchdown of the game was caught by senior Noah Dombrovski (LB, Germantown, Wis.) late in the third quarter with UND down 16-7.
After forcing the Bears to three-and-out, UND struck with a trio of big pass plays. On third-and-fifteen, Landry hit wide receiver Ismael Bamba (Montreal, Quebec) on a 46-yard pass-play. After a one-yard rush, Landry found Leupp open in the middle of the field on a 24-yard pass. UND closed the seven-play, 85-yard drive with a 22-yard TD pass from Landry to Dombrovski.
Inside the 12-minute mark of the final quarter, Central Arkansas attempted to fake punt on fourth-and-nine. The play didn't run as well as it did the first time as safety Joel Schwenzfeier (Hallock, Minn.) stopped Jonathan Beard on the run to give UND possession at the UCA 19-yard line. Five plays later, Hellevang hit from 34-yards out to give the Sioux the 17-16 lead and the eventual win.
- Go Sioux -
