WINONA, Minn. -- The Minnesota State University Moorhead football team was within 24-21 early in the third quarter, but Winona State scored 41 unanswered points in a 65-21 loss to the Warriors in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference action Saturday in Winona, Minn.

MSUM fell to 0-3 overall and in the NSIC with the loss, while Winona State improved to 1-2 overall and 1-2 in the league.

"Our youth and our lack of depth kinda showed in the second half against a very mature football program with a lot of seasoned veterans that are playing out there," MSUM head coach Steve Laqua said. "They were 9-2 last year and they've got talented players. We're playing against a well-established program and we just ran out of gas."

Winona State outgained the Dragons, 639-354. Both teams committed two turnovers.

Sophomore receiver Preston Prince had a solid all-around day for MSUM. He caught five passes for 118 yards and a touchdown and also rushed for 35 yards on six carries. Sophomore quarterback Jake Hodge was 12-of-26 passing for 214 yards and two touchdowns. He also rushed for 76 yards and a score. Sophomore receiver Adam Jiskra hauled in three passes for 56 yards and a touchdown.

On defense, redshirt freshman safety Jesse Beilke had a career-high nine tackles, including six solos, while junior Lomumba Ismail had eight tackles and recovered a fumble. Senior defensive lineman Sam Callahan had five tackles and a sack.

MSUM punted on its first possession, but redshirt freshman linebacker Aaron Bohl knocked the ball loose from Winona State punt returner Alan May, and Ismail recovered at the Warrior 42-yard line. After an 11-yard run by Hodge, the sophomore quarterback hit Jiskra from 31 yards out for a score. With senior Wes Kramer's extra point, MSUM led 7-0 at the 12:54 mark of the opening quarter.

Winona State came back and tied the game at 7-7, which was the score at the end of the first quarter. Early in the second quarter, MSUM capped off a 10-play, 86-yard drive that began late in the first quarter with a 6-yard touchdown run by Hodge. Kramer added the extra point to give MSUM a 14-7 lead.

"Our guys are learning how to come out and start games," Laqua said. "Our ability on offense to score some points early helps us. We have to keep building on that."

A big punt return by May set up the Warriors for their second score, a 4-yard run by Jordan Kos, which tied the game at 14-14. Winona State added more second quarter points to take a 24-14 lead into halftime.

MSUM then forced a turnover on Winona State's first possession of the second half when senior Mike Mann recovered a fumble. One play later, Hodge hit Prince for a 44-yard touchdown and with Kramer's extra point, MSUM was within 24-21 with 13:03 left.

"There were some positives throughout the day," Laqua said. "Preston Prince really made some great plays. There were some good things that Cory Ambrose and Adam Jisrka did as well. We saw a lot of flashes of positives."

Winona State answered quicky as Jack Nelson hit May for a 49-yard touchdown to push the Warrior lead back to 31-21. That score started a string of 41 unanswered points for the Warriors.

Down 38-21, MSUM marched into Warrior territory, thanks to a 25-yard pass from Hodge to Prince. On a 4th-and-1, Prince broke free for a 21-yard run down to the Warrior 9-yard line; however a holding penalty nullified the play. On 4th-and-5, Hodge scrambled for five yards and was right at the marker; however a controversial spot left the Dragons inches short.

"That was a turning point," Laqua said.

The Warriors wore down the Dragons as the second half progressed on their way to the win.

Kramer averaged 37.4 yards per punt with a long of 52 on the day for MSUM.

The Dragons play host to Concordia-St. Paul on Saturday, Sept. 28 for MSUM's Homecoming game. The contest begins at 2 p.m. at Alex Nemzek Field.

Steve d'Eustachio Stat of the Game: Before this year, the last time the Dragons played Southwest Minnesota State and Winona State in consecutive weeks was 1996. The Dragons knocked off SMSU, 28-21, on Oct. 19, 1996, and then beat Winona State 33-28 two weeks later on Nov. 2, 1996.