NEW ULM, Minn. - The MLC football team scored with 16 seconds remaining to pull within one point of Crown, but was unable to convert a two-point conversion to give them the lead in a 42-41 loss to the Storm on Saturday afternoon.
The MLC Homecoming crowd was treated to a wild offensive affair, as the two teams combined for more than 900 yards of total offense. Crown finished with 471 total yards, including 348 through the air, while MLC finished with 448 yards of total offense, including 264 rushing yards.
MLC jumped ahead at the start of the game to a 7-0 lead on an Aaron Voss touchdown run, tying him for the school career record for rushing touchdowns.
After Crown tied the score at 7-7, the two teams traded blows throughout the first half, with Crown quarterback Adam Hayes throwing three scores in the half, while Greg Holzhueter and Jake Unke scored touchdowns for MLC to tie the score at 21-21 at the half.
In the second half, Hayes threw three more scoring passes, the last of which coming with just 1:16 remaining in the game to erase a 35-34 MLC lead after two rushing scores from Andrew Becker.
MLC would march down the field, however, and on the seventh play of a 59-yard drive, Holzhueter ran it in from the one to cut the deficit to 42-41.
The two-point conversion play failed when an option run by Holzhueter around the right end was stopped, giving Crown the win.
Holzhueter finished 13-20 passing for 184 yards and one score, and also gained 106 yards on the ground and scored twice.
Voss added 73 yards rushing on 19 carries, while Unke and Becker added 43 and 42 yards, respectively. Unke also added seven catches for 95 yards and a score.
Defensively, Ben Hansen finished with 12 total tackles, while Benjamin Olson and Matt Rothe had 11 and ten, respectively.
MLC dropped to 1-2 overall and 0-1 in the UMAC with the loss, while Crown improved to 3-0 on the year and 1-0 in the conference with the win.
The Knights will return to the field next week (Sept. 25), when they host St. Scholastica for a 1 p.m. kickoff.