GRAND FORKS, N.D. -- No. 10/10 North Dakota extended its home-opening winning streak to 19 games at the Division I level with a 42-21 victory over Long Island on Thursday at the Alerus Center. A dominant first half saw the UND offense total six touchdowns, while the defense forced two turnovers and allowed just 36 yards in the opening 30 minutes.
Senior quarterback
Jerry Kaminski engineered three touchdown drives in the first two quarters as the Fighting Hawks built a commanding 42-0 lead by halftime. His night ended at the break after he completed 17 of 21 passes for 232 yards and three touchdowns.
Junior
Caleb Goodloe led a group of 11 Fighting Hawks with a reception, finishing his UND debut with five catches for 118 yards and a touchdown.
Following an incompletion on his first pass attempt of the game, Kaminski completed his next seven passes on the opening touchdown drive as North Dakota marched down the field for an early 7-0 lead. He also converted a fourth-and-1 from his own 34-yard line with a quarterback sneak to extend the drive on a gutsy early call by offensive coordinator Danny Freund.
The senior signal-caller made that decision pay off, capping the drive with a 14-yard touchdown pass to
Korey Tai.
On LIU's first possession, Fighting Hawks linebacker
Ethan Boll forced a fumble after a 6-yard reception by Jayden Simpson, and
Grant Noland recovered at the Sharks' 26-yard line to give UND a short field.
Four plays later,
Matt Lawson found the end zone on a 4-yard run up the middle, and
Hunter Kallstrom added the 2-point conversion on a 2-yard rush to extend the Fighting Hawks' lead to 15-0 midway through the opening quarter.
After a three-and-out by the Sharks, Kaminski orchestrated his third touchdown drive of the first quarter, completing a pair of passes to Goodloe before finding
Nathan Hromadka for a 5-yard touchdown to cap the seven-play, 74-yard drive.
Goodloe surpassed the 100-yard receiving mark in the second quarter on a 28-yard touchdown reception that put UND ahead 29-0.
North Dakota's next two scores came on the ground as
Charles Langama scored on a 13-yard run and Lawson reached the end zone for the second time on a 1-yard rush. Lawson's score came after
Jonnie Wiltshire made a diving interception to set the Fighting Hawks up at their own 44-yard line, and fifth-year wide receiver
Sam Strandell made an acrobatic 40-yard catch. Strandell was the 11th different Fighting Hawk to record a reception in the first half, and the three second-quarter touchdowns sent the home team into halftime with a 42-point lead.
The Sharks opened the second half with their first scoring drive as Tyselle Spencer capped a nine-play, 75-yard march with a 13-yard touchdown run.
After UND missed a field-goal attempt late in the third quarter, LIU struck again when Luca Stanzani found Boakai Veikei on a 65-yard touchdown pass to trim the deficit to 42-14.
The UND offense was held scoreless after halftime, and LIU cut the deficit in half on a 1-yard touchdown run by Stanzani with just under four minutes remaining.
The Fighting Hawks recovered the ensuing onside kick and ran out the clock to secure the season-opening victory.
UND returns to action at home when St. Thomas visits on Saturday, Sept. 3, for a 3 p.m. kickoff.
POSTGAME NOTES
- UND improved to 19-0 in home openers at the Division I level.
- Kaminski went 14-for-17 in the opening quarter, finding 10 different receivers for 164 yards and two touchdowns. He finished 17-for-21 for 232 yards and three touchdowns.
- Tai and Hromadka now have touchdown receptions in consecutive season openers. Tai also recorded a career-long 59-yard reception and finished with two catches for 73 yards.
- Goodloe recorded the first receiving statistics of his UND career after appearing in four games at wide receiver for Bowling Green in 2025.
- Lawson's two-touchdown performance marked the first multiple-touchdown game of his collegiate career. He scored three touchdowns as a true freshman at Illinois State in 2024.
- Wiltshire's second-quarter interception was the fourth of his career.
- Boll forced a fumble and recorded four tackles in his first career start.
- True freshman Nate Appleget led all UND defenders with nine tackles in his collegiate debut.
How It HappenedÂ
First Quarter
10:34 – UND |
Korey Tai scores on a 14-yard pass from
Jerry Kaminski (
Luke Silvernale kick). 11 plays, 80 yards, 4:19
7:57 – UND |
Matt Lawson scores on a 4-yard rush (
Hunter Kallstrom rush). 4 plays, 26 yards, 1:22
4:40 – UND |
Nathan Hromadka scores on a 5-yard pass from Kaminski (Silvernale kick). 7 plays, 74 yards, 2:54
Second Quarter
10:44 – UND |
Caleb Goodloe scores on a 28-yard pass from Kaminski (Silvernale kick). 4 plays, 39 yards, 1:37
8:55 – UND |
Charles Langama scores on a 13-yard rush (Silvernale kick). 4 plays, 36 yards, 00:54
2:27 – UND | Lawson scores on a 1-yard rush (Silvernale kick missed). 4 plays, 56 yards, 1:51
Third Quarter
9:59 – LIU | Tyselle Spencer scores on a 13-yard rush (Will Johnson kick). 9 plays, 75 yards, 5:01
00:13 – LIU | Boakai Veikai scores on a 65-yard pass from Luca Stanzani (Johnson kick). 2 plays, 80 yards, 00:38
Fourth Quarter
3:38 – LIU | Stanzini scores on a 1-yard rush (Johnson kick). 16 plays, 68 yards, 9:25
For more information on North Dakota Football, visit FightingHawks.com or follow on social media
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