Box Score

ST. PAUL, Minn. - Defensive end Luke Carlson capped a huge day for the Bethel College special teams by blocking an 18-yard field goal attempt on the game's final play to preserve a 22-20 MIAC football victory for the visiting Royals (6-2 overall, 5-2 MIAC) over St. Thomas (5-3, 5-2) Saturday at O'Shaughnessy Stadium.

The loss knocked St. Thomas out of first place and ended the Toms' four-game winning streak. The Toms outgained Bethel in total offense 378-249, but couldn't overcome the Royals' 272 yards gain on five kick returns.

The disappointing finish for UST spoiled a strong performance by UST senior QB Greg Kaiser who ran for two TDs (27, 1) and threw a TD pass to his brother Andy Kaiser. Greg finished 17-of-27 passing with no interceptions for 226 yards, and was 3-for-3 in fourth-down conversions on the game.

Bethel scored twice in the first half off long punt and kick returns, and set up their final TD with another long return.Kirk Midthun's 88-yard punt return put the Royals up 7-0. After the Toms tied it 7-7, Bethel's Gary Stone ran 83 yards on the ensuing kickoff. Midthun's PAT run made it 15-7.

The Toms answered with a 27-yard Kaiser TD run -- that featured five broken tackles -- to make it 15-13 but their PAT pass was caught out of bounds and the lead stayed at two points.

Stone returned the second-half kickoff 53 yards to the UST 40. The Royals drove 40 yards in five plays capped by Brett Brodeen's 3-yard run to go ahead 22-13.

St. Thomas pulled within 22-20 midway through the third period as Kaiser ran one yard to the end zone on a 4th-and-one situation.

The Toms' made a late bid as they stopped Bethel on 4th-and-2 at the Tommie 18-yard line with 5:55 left to take over on downs. Three plays later on 4th-and-1 at the UST 30, Kaiser hit his brother Andy, who turned it into a 52-yard gain to the Bethel 18 with 2:00 to play. The Toms had first-and-goal on the Bethel 6 with 1:21 left.

UST gained three yards on first down, but Carlson sacked Kaiser on second down for a loss of 10 back to the Bethel 13. Kaiser hit Andrew Hilliard for 12 yards to the Bethel one-yard line. On 4th-and-1, UST took time out and tried an 18-yard field goal from the left hash mark. UST's Josh Brand's kick came out low and
Carlson batted it down to preserve the Bethel win.

Midthun had 11 tackles and one of the Royals' five sacks, and Hans Bengston was in on 13 tackles. UST's Frank Streit had two sacks among his 12 tackles, and Darren Nelson had an interception and eight tackles. Freshman Jake Barkley rushed 24 times for 97 yards for UST, who played without injured halfback Marcus Lutdke.