SIOUX FALLS – Through the first four years of the Jerry Olszewski era at Augustana, the Vikings claimed a season-opening victory, but that streak came to an end on Saturday with a 38-7 loss to NSIC North rival MSU Moorhead in front of 4,651 fans at Kirkeby-Over Stadium.
 
The lone bright spot on the day came on defense, as junior captain Kirby Hora tied an Augustana single-game record with 21 tackles.
 
Ryan Rubley found Chet Peerenboom for a seven yard touchdown on Augustana's second drive of the day, but the Dragons answered with 38 unanswered points, starting with a touchdown on their second drive, knotting the score at 7-7 with 3 minutes, 26 seconds left in the opening stanza.
 
On the final play of the first half, MSU Moorhead's Miles Baggett sacked Rubley, forcing a fumble in the process, a fumble that Abe Roehrich recovered and returned 48 yards for a Dragon's touchdown that put them up 14-7 entering the second quarter.
 
The Dragons added to their lead in the second quarter when Demetrius Carr connected with Damon Gibson for a 12 yard score, their second hookup of the game, putting MSUM up 21-7 midway through the quarter, a score that would standup through the remainder of the first half, thanks to a Travor Naasz interception in the end zone as time expired in the first half.
 
The lone score of the third quarter came on one yard touchdown plunge by Denver Colgrove, which capped a 7 play, 52 yard drive that gave the Dragons a commanding 28-7 lead. They added two more scores, a touchdown and a field goal, to salt away the season-opening win.
 
The Vikings look to recover next Saturday, when they travel to Minot, North Dakota to take on Minot State. The Beavers fell in their opening game, 24-0 at Concordia-St. Paul on Thursday.
 
 
NOTES: Augustana leads the all-time series 3-2, with MSUM winning the last two meetings … the Vikings own a 50-42-4 overall record in season-opening games … Saturday's game marked the first game of the ninth season at Kirkeby-Over Stadium, where the Vikings hold a 24-12 all-time record … the loss marks head coach Jerry Olszewski's first season-opening loss at AU … the Vikings did not score at least 20 points in a season-opening game for the first time in eight seasons … Kirby Hora tied an Augustana single-game record, and set a career-high with 21 tackles, equaling the mark set by Brian Baumgartner vs. Nebraska-Omaha on Sept. 22, 2007 and by Nick Ovenden at St. Cloud state on Oct. 8, 2005 … Trevor Naasz tied a career-high with 11 tackles … Caden Quintanilla posted a career-long rush of 36 yards