WICHITA FALLS, Texas – A fast start didn't hold up for Missouri S&T Saturday night, as Midwestern State took a lead it would not relinquish in the latter stages of the opening half and went on to hand the Miners a 40-23 setback.

The contest couldn't have started any better for the Miners, who took a 14-0 lead just 3:15 into play.  Spencer Elrod (Lancaster, Calif.) returned the opening kickoff 91 yards for a touchdown to put S&T in front, then following another play by the Miner special teams unit, it was able to extend the lead.

Following a fumbled snap on an MSU punt, Harold Edwards blocked the kick to put the Miners in business at the Mustang 34-yard line.  Four plays later, Kason Key (Owasso, Okla./Owasso) escaped pressure in the pocket and hit a wide open Melvin Stovall (Los Angeles, Calif./Lancaster) for a 24-yard touchdown pass to give the Miners a two-touchdown advantage.

However, the Mustangs got a special teams touchdown of their own following the Miners' next possession, as Dominique Williams brought a punt back 47 yards for a score. 

Midwestern State get a 40-yard field goal from Andy Alkhazshvilly before the first quarter ended, then took its first lead of the contest nearly three minutes into the second quarter on a 10-yard scoring run by quarterback Jake Glover.

Minutes later, the Miners were able to take advantage of another Mustang special teams error, as Austin Dussold (Farmington, Mo./Farmington)'s punt caromed off an MSU player; Jon Vance (Marshalltown, Iowa/Marshalltown) recovered the loose ball at the six-yard line.  Zenel Hudson (Bayshore, N.Y./Milford Academy) carried the ball on three straight plays following the turnover, taking the third carry into the end zone from the two to put S&T back in front at 20-17.

The Mustangs were able to answer with two huge plays to regain the advantage.  The first was a 58-yard run by Dante Taylor that gave MSU a 24-20 lead, then backup quarterback Quade Coward connected with Levy Wilson on a 65-yard scoring pass to make it an 11-point game. Alkhazshvilly wrapped up the first half scoring – with MSU up 34-20 – by kicking a 20-yard field goal just before the period ended.

But after the teams combined for the 54 points in the first 30 minutes, the defenses took control of matters after the intermission.

S&T scored on its first possession of the second half, as Key hit Elrod for 64 yards to put the Miners inside the Mustangs' five-yard line.  The drive stalled from there and S&T had to settle for a 23-yard field goal from Nolan Mannino (Waterloo, Ill./Waterloo).

MSU got a big return on the ensuing kickoff into S&T territory and drove to the Miner five-yard line, but Jacob Nutt (Pacific, Mo./Pacific) got a sack on third down to force a field goal attempt by Alkhazshvilly that he pushed wide to the right.  The Mustangs were able to add to the lead the next time they got the ball when Dylan McLain hit a 30-yard field goal try.

The Miners got another big play early in the fourth quarter – a 31-yard run by Hudson – and drove to the MSU 33 before having to surrendering the ball on downs after a fourth down pass was ruled incomplete.

McLain kicked another field goal with 7:13 to play, this one from 41 yards away, to extend the margin to 17 at 40-23.

Stovall had another big game for the Miners from his wide receiver position, catching nine passes for 139 yards and the first quarter touchdown, while Key threw for 248 yards on the evening.  The Miners finished with 311 yards of total offense to 517 for the Mustangs.

Rob Cidlik (Eureka, Mo./Eureka) had nine tackles to lead the Miners, while Nutt, Nick Kruse (Cuba, Mo./Cuba HS) and Dale Davey all had six stops apiece.  Nutt had two quarterback sacks as S&T recorded three in the contest.

The Miners (0-2) will open their home and Great Lakes Valley Conference schedule next Saturday when it hosts Truman State in a 6:30 p.m. contest at Allgood-Bailey Stadium.  Truman edged Langston 17-12 Saturday to even its record at 1-1.