In one of its most dominating defensive performances in recent times, the University of Minnesota Duluth throttled Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference North Division rival Northern State University 41-0 Saturday afternoon in Aberdeen, S.D.

The Bulldogs (5-2 overall) gave up just 83 yards of total offense on 58 plays and seven first downs on their way to posting their first shutout in two years (45-0 at the University of Mary on Oct. 17, 2015). That was the lowest offensive output by a UMD opponent since the University of Minnesota Crookston mustered just 78 total yards on Oct. 31, 2009. 

Soggy and windy conditions could not keep the UMD rushing corps from its appointed rounds as the Bulldogs rolled up a 2017 season-high 300 yards on the ground. Some 10 different Bulldogs got a piece of the run action, including redshirt freshman Austin Sylvester, who rushed 16 times for a personal-best 104 yards. Also getting into the act  were a pair of 2016 All-NSIC first team interior linemen in senior offensive tackle Nolan Folkert and junior nose tackle Dre Greer. Folkert had two short yardage scoring runs and Greer, on his first collegiate carry, plowed in from two yards for the final touchdown of the afternoon early in the fourth quarter. Folkert, a 2017 UMD team captain, has racked up 10 career touchdowns -- four of which have come at the expense of Northern State.

Redshirt freshman quarterback John Larson, making his first collegiate start, completed 11 of 19 passes for 145 yards and two touchdowns. The first of those was a seven-yard strike 9:07 into the opening quarter to senior wide out Dominic Bonner that gave the Bulldogs all the scoring they would need. Bonner finished with a game-high receptions for 81 yards while junior wide out Jason Balts had two catches and was on the receiving end of Larson's other touchdown throw (16 yards).

The Bulldog defense, which limited the Wolves (3-4 overall) to only 26 yards via the pass, got six stops each from junior inside linebacker A.J. Naatz and Gus Wedig and senior defensive end Nick Thorpe. UMD junior free safety Sam Lynch had the game's only interception, the fifth of his career. 

After being on the road the last two weeks, the Bulldogs will return to James S. Malosky Stadium next Saturday (Oct. 21) to host Minot State University in their annual Homecoming game.