Defense Dominates 2nd Half In 34-10 Homecoming Win

Grand Forks N.D. – (UND Athletics) North Dakota shut out Western Illinois in the second half to run away with a 34-10 homecoming win inside the Alerus Center.  The Hawk defense limited Western Illinois to just 99 yards of total offense in the second half.

North Dakota (3-4, 1-3) was efficient and balanced offensively scoring 17 points in each half rolling up over 600 yards in total offense in the game.

On the ground, Otis Weah rushed 18 times for 125 yards and a touchdown while Gaven Ziebarth carried it 15 times for 110 yards.

In the passing game, Tommy Schuster was 21-32 for 274 yards and an eight-yard touchdown pass to Brock Boltmann to go up 24-10 early in the third.  Schuster’s prime target was Bo Belquist who hauled in 8 passes for 142 yards and the game’s first score, a 45-yard pass from Jake Richter on a reverse pass six minutes in.

Defensively Hayden Galvin led the charge with six tackles including five of them solo.  The Hawks tallied three sacks one each by Ben McNaboe, Ty Shannon and Wyatt Pedigo.  Brett Holinka‘s defense forced two turnovers including a great play on a tipped ball by Sammy Fort which was the final blow for the downtrodden Leathernecks midway through the third quarter.

It was the first time since the season opener and the fourth time in his career that Weah went over the 100-yard rushing mark.

Western Illinois’ lone touchdown came ten minutes into the game answering Belquist’s score as Connor Sampson connected with Dallas Daniels on a 51-yard score to tie the game at seven.  UND dominated the final three and a half quarters in all phases of the game.

The Hawks opened up a three-score lead with 5:36 to play in the third quarter on a play that Quincy Vaughn took the snap and handed to Belquist running to his right who thew it back to Vaughn who scored easily from 15 yards out.

North Dakota dominated nearly every statistical category including going 8-for-15 on third down and only punting once in the game.  Danny Freund‘s offense collected 31 first downs, 15 in the first half and 16 in the second half.

North Dakota travels to Springfield, Mo. next weekend to tangle with Missouri State, a team the Hawks defeated in the 2021 spring season FCS playoffs.