BELOIT, Wis. – The Macalester College football team opened its Midwest Conference North Division schedule with a 42-26 victory at Beloit Saturday afternoon at Strong Stadium. The Scots improve to 4-1 overall and 1-0 in the conference, while the Buccaneers drop to 1-4, 0-1 MWC.

The teams combined for over 800 yards of total offense, including 410 yards for Macalester.

Both teams missed field goal attempts in the first quarter before the Scots got on the scoreboard with an 80-yard drive capped by a 14-yard touchdown run by senior running back Jeremy Stephan (Duluth, Minn./Marshall). After Beloit answered with a touchdown on its next drive, Macalester restored its lead with a 29-yard touchdown pass from senior quarterback Cody Petrich (Lansing, Ill./Thornton Fractional South) to senior receiver Alec Beatty (Topeka, Kan./Topeka) for a 14-7 lead.

On the Buccaneers' next possession, junior linebacker Dane Ku Blake (Honolulu, Hawaii/Punahou) intercepted Beloit quarterback Erick Mitchell and returned it 25 yards for a touchdown and a 21-7 advantage. Another pick, this time by junior safety Kiante Miles (Yukon, Okla./Mustang), stopped a Beloit drive at the Macalester 12. Two plays later, the Buccaneers intercepted Petrich and later scored to pull to within eight, 21-13. The Scots blocked the extra point attempt following the touchdown.

Beloit had an opportunity to score before the end of the half after an interception gave the hosts the ball at the Scots' 26-yard line with 15 seconds left. But junior defensive back Dean Smith (Carpenteria, Calif./Cate School) picked off Mitchell in the end zone to end the half.

Macalester took the second-half kickoff and drove 70 yards, culminating in an 11-yard touchdown run by Stephan, his second of the game. Again Beloit responded with a 74-yard touchdown drive to make the score 28-20 late in the third quarter. The Scots took over seven minutes off the clock on their next possession, with first year quarterback Grady Munro (Calgary, Alberta/Springbank Community) connecting with junior running back Krishn Rapoor (Omaha, Neb./Brownell-Talbot) for a 9-yard touchdown pass.

Macalester's defense stopped the Bucs on their next two possessions. After a punt gave the Scots the ball at midfield, Munro hit Beatty for a 51-yard touchdown completion, putting Macalester on top, 42-20 with 4:23 to play in the fourth quarter. Beloit scored a touchdown with 2:14 remaining, but it was not enough to prevent the Scots from earning a conference victory on the road.

Petrich played the first half and was 13-of-18 for 137 yards, a touchdown and two interceptions. Munro made his collegiate debut, playing the entire second half and connecting on 12-of-14 pass attempts for 139 yards, two touchdowns and an interception. Beatty finished with seven catches for 139 yards and two touchdowns, while senior receiver Jonathan Knee (Lynnfield, Mass./Lynnfield) caught nine passes for 65 yards. Stephan ran for a season-high 84 yards on 15 attempts. Miles and senior linebacker Patrick Haley (Fort Lauderdale, Fla./Pine Crest) led the defense with seven tackles apiece. For Beloit, Joey Werner gained 111 yards on 23 carries, while Tyler Korous had 12 catches for 128 yards and a touchdown.

The Scots begin Midwest Conference play next Saturday, Oct. 6 with a game at Beloit, beginning at 1:00 p.m. in Beloit, Wis.