GUNNISON, Colo. – The Black Hills State University football team fell 34-13 Saturday afternoon to Western State Colorado University in Gunnison, Colorado.

With the loss, the Yellow Jackets fall to 2-4 on the season and 1-3 in Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference action while the Mountaineers improve to 3-3, 2-2.

Western State got on the scoreboard with 10:02 remaining in the first quarter when Austin Ekeler, the RMAC's top rusher, had an 80-yard touchdown.

Black Hills State got its only touchdown of the day with 12:43 on the clock in the second quarter. The Yellow Jackets utilized their longest scoring drive of the season, traveling 90 yards on 13 plays and chewing up 5:13 of the game clock when Ward Anderson scampered into the end zone on a seven-yard carry.

With Diego Carstens' PAT attempt good, the game was knotted at 7-7.

On the ensuing Mountaineer possession, Western State used eight plays to travel 61 yards for another Ekeler touchdown. This time it was a five-yard run to give the home squad a 14-7 lead.

With seconds remaining in the first half, Carstens added a field goal for the Green and Gold, a 42-yard strike to pull the Yellow Jackets within four at 14-10 going into the intermission.

The second half saw Western State come out slinging, opening a 24-10 lead before BHSU could get another point on the scoreboard. That happened when Carstens connected on his second field goal of the day, a 20 yarder for the 24-13 score.

However, the Yellow Jackets were unable to get into the end zone again as Western State prevailed 34-13.

Black Hills State returns to Lyle Hare Stadium on Saturday, hosting Adams State in a "Green Out" sponsored by the Black Hills Pioneer. The first 100 fans through the gates will receive an official "Green Out" t-shirt.

Quick Hits

• Ward Anderson threw for 253 yards on 28-of-49 passing and was the team's leading rusher with 48 yards
• Jerome Krysl led the receiving corps with seven catches for 64 yards
• Redshirt freshman Zach Meyer saw action for the second time this season and completed his first career pass while going 2-for-2 and 23 yards
• Trent Boner had a team-high 11 tackles with 10 of them being solo tackles, a season-high
• Boner also had the lone sack on the day
• Allan Stubbs intercepted his second pass of the season when he picked off Brett Arrivey in the first quarter 
• Arrivey was 26-of-36 for 278 yards with a pair of touchdown passes for Western State
• Austin Ekeler rushed for a game-high 163 yards
• Travis Haney was the games top receiver with eight catches for 116 yards and a touchdown