MITCHELL, S.D. -- Dakota Wesleyan, the surprise team in the Great Plains Athletic Conference last season but a struggling squad this fall, surprised Northwestern 13-10 at Joe Quintal Field here Saturday.

The Tigers (3-6) held Northwestern to 287 total yards and held the Red Raiders off the scoreboard in the second half. Joel Kruse kicked what proved to be the game-winning field goal from 36 yards with 9:45 left in the contest.

After losing its first eight games to Northwestern, Dakota Wesleyan has now won two in a row. Raymond "Boogie" Blossom rushed for 120 yards on 19 carries for the Tigers.

Northwestern opened the game with an impressive drive, marching 65 yards in 15 plays to use up 8:14 off the clock. Kevin Vander Schaaf plunged in on fourth-and-goal for the one, making it 7-0.

DWU, though, scored the next 10 points, beginning with a 23-yard field goal by Nick Garcia. Jordan Gau intercepted Brad Payne on the ensuing drive and the Tigers eventually took the lead on a four-yard touchdown run by Josh Endres on the first play of the second quarter.

The Red Raiders intercepted a Jon Doom pass at the Northwestern 19-yard line and Payne drove his team into field goal range where Ben Rasefske kicked a 25-yarder with six seconds left in the half, tying it at 10-10.

Neither team scored in the third quarter, but Doom marched his team into field goal range early in the fourth, hitting Kyle Isaacson for a 26-yard gain. Kruse was then called on to boot the 36-yard field goal.

Northwestern drove to the DWU nine-yard line before the defense stiffened. Rasefske, though, was wide left on a potential game-tying field goal with 1:53 left in the game.

Northwestern's Taylor Malm, who came into the game as the third leading rusher in the GPAC, finished with 60 yards on 19 carries while Vander Schaaf added 58 yards on 13 tries. Payne completed 11 of 21 passes for 129 yards.

DWU's Doom was 14-for-22 for 167 yards through the air. Bubba Slaba had four catches and needs two more in the season finale against Dordt on Saturday to reach 200 for his career.

Jim Williams had 10 tackles (five solo) and Gau 9.5 tackles (eight solo), an interception and a pass breakup, and Lucas Sieve eight tackles (five solo) for the Tigers.

Grant Hegstad paced Northwestern, which closed the season with a 7-3 record, with 7.5 tackles. Austin Rozeboom added seven tackles, a forced fumble and an interception, and Caleb Van Otterloo six tackles.

Dak. Wesleyan 13, Northwestern 10

Northwestern 7 3 0 0 -- 10

Dakota Wesleyan 3 7 0 3 -- 13

First Quarter

NWC: Kyle VanderSchaaf 1 run (Ben Rasefske kick) 6:46

DWU: FG Nick Garcia 23, 1:54

Second Quarter

DWU: Josh Endres 4 run (Garcia kick) 14:56

NWC: FG Rasefske 25, 0:06

Fourth Quarter

DWU: FG Kruse 36, 9:45

TEAM STATISTICS

NWC DWU

First Downs 16 14

Rushes-yards 48-158 34-172

Passing yards 129 167

Passes 11-21-1 14-22-1

Total plays-yards 69-287 56-339

Punts-avg. 7-35.7 4-41.5

Fumbles-lost 2-1 2-2

Penalties-yards 6-43 4-25

Third-down conversions 7-18 5-12

Time of possession 33:04 26:56

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING: Northwestern - Taylor Malm 19-60, Kyle VanderSchaaf 13-58, Brandon Smith 6-24, Brad Payne 10-16. Dakota Wesleyan - Raymond Blossom 19-120, Josh Endres 10-46, Jesse Ayers 1-11, Jon Doom 1-5, Russell Mcquire 1-2, Team 1-(-1), Bubba Slaba 1-(-11).

PASSING: Northwestern - Brad Payne 11-21-1-129. Dakota Wesleyan - Jon Doom 14-22-1-167.

RECEIVING: Northwestern - Ryan Van Hulzen 3-34, Kyle DeBoer 3-29, Taylor Malm 3-21, D. Rensink 1-24, Brandon Smith 1-21. Dakota Wesleyan - Jesse Ayers 4-76, Bubba Slaba 4-26, Anthony Muilenb 2-15, Raymond Blossom 2-7, Kyle Isaacson 1-26, Eric Gillen 1-17.