Correspondent photo / David Dermer. YSU linebacker Carston Marshall (5) brings down North Dakota receiver Nate Demontagac on Saturday at the Alerus Center in Grand Forks, N.D.

Its slowest start of the season proved to be too much for Youngstown State to overcome on Saturday afternoon.

YSU’s defense gave up touchdowns on North Dakota’s first four possessions, and the offense struggled to finish drives, as the 13th-ranked Fighting Hawks handed the Penguins a 35-17 defeat at the Alerus Center dome in Grand Forks, N.D.

The loss is YSU’s second straight to start Missouri Valley Football Conference play, as the Penguins fell to 3-3 overall and 0-2 in the MVFC.

All season, YSU’s defense has looked like it had finally found some answers after its struggles last year.

However, the Fighting Hawks moved the ball efficiently and at will during their first four possessions. North Dakota’s running backs found plenty of running lanes and quarterback Jerry Kaminski was delivering passes with ease.

UND’s first score came after YSU went three-and-out on its opening drive. Kaminski scrambled and found receiver BJ Fleming on the run at the pylon in the front corner of the end zone for a 9-yard touchdown pass.

After another YSU three-and-out, the Fighting Hawks struck again. On fourth-and-short, UND got the Penguins to bite hard on a play action, as Kaminski hit tight end Haydn Stay wide open over the top on a 21-yard score.

YSU’s offense finally got on the board to start the second quarter. A 54-yard kickoff return by Kylon “Flash” Wilson gave the Penguins good field position, and quarterback Beau Brungard found receiver Mike Solomon on a rope for a 20-yard touchdown pass on third-and-long. It was Solomon’s first touchdown as a Penguin.

The momentum was shortlived, though, as Gaven Ziebarth dashed 51 yards for another North Dakota touchdown just a couple plays later.

With about eight minutes till halftime, the Fighting Hawks added to their lead with another short drive that ended with Kaminski’s third touchdown pass that found Fleming again from 14 yards out.

By halftime, the Penguins found themselves in a 28-7 hole seemingly scrambling to find some answers, especially defensively.

YSU adjusted in the second half, and after getting a stop on North Dakota’s first possession of the third quarter, Brungard hit Wilson over the top for a 57-yard pass completion. That led to Andrew Lastovka’s 34-yard field goal that made it 28-10.

On their next possession, the Penguins went to the deep ball again. This time, Brungard found Wilson again for a 37-yard touchdown. Wilson finished with four receptions for 102 yards and a touchdown, which is his best performance since transferring to YSU from Division II Slippery Rock (Pa.) in the offseason.

YSU had all the momentum in the second half, but could not finish key drives.

It happened twice in the first half when the Penguins turned the ball over on downs in North Dakota territory, and twice again in the second half on the field goal and in the fourth quarter when YSU got inside the 10-yard line and turned it over on downs.

That allowed the Fighting Hawks to deliver a backbreaking blow when they marched 72 yards for a Ziebarth touchdown run in 16 plays on a drive that ate up almost eight minutes between the third and fourth quarters.

Brungard completed 18-of-33 of his passes for 269 yards and two touchdowns, while also rushing for 71 yards on 19 carries. In addition to Wilson’s big day, Max Tomczak hauled in four receptions for 79 yards.

North Dakota rushed for 225 yards, led by 114 from Sawyer Seidl and 71 yards and two touchdowns from Ziebarth.

YSU is back on the road next week in Normal, Ill. at No. 9 Illinois State.