CHADRON, Neb. – Colorado Mesa scored 22 fourth quarter points that included two defensive touchdowns in a 42-30 road win over the Chadron State Eagles on Saturday afternoon at Elliott Field in a Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference contest.
 
The Mavericks (2-2, 2-1 RMAC) trailed 16-13 at halftime but rattled off 29 second-half points for the come-from-behind win on the road.
 
Senior Peter Anderson got the scoring started on the opening drive of the game. Anderson caught a pass from Aaron Howard just beyond the first-down chains and sprinted past the rest of the Eagle defense for the 74-yard score.
 
Anderson has made the Eagles pay in the last two meetings with them. He has 17 catches for 434 yards with three touchdowns in the last two matchups with Chadron State. He finished his final game with six catches for 168 yards and the score.
 
The Mavericks had a chance to extend their lead late in the first quarter but the turnover bug bit them as they fumbled on the Chadron State (1-3, 1-3 RMAC) one-yard line.
 
Chadron State took their first first lead of the game following the fumble on an Elijah Myles 13-yard run to make it 9-7 as the PAT was blocked by Reed Rowan.
 
Colorado Mesa regained the lead on the first of two Lucas Ruiz-Diaz field goals in the game. This one came from 44-yards out to make it 10-9 in favor of Colorado Mesa.
 
The turnover bug came calling again for the Mavericks as a muffed punt on Chadron State's ensuing possession gave them a short field at the Colorado Mesa 22-yard line. Four plays later, the Eagles punched it in for the 16-10 lead with 1:40 to play in the half.
 
The Mavericks got the ball back just before halftime and marched down the field in 17 second to setup Ruiz-Diaz's second field goal of the day. The Montrose product connected on a career-long 51 yard field goal as time expired to make it 16-13 at the break.
 
The Mavericks and Eagles traded touchdowns in the third quarter. Hayden Bollinger replaced Aaron Howard, who was removed with an injury, scored on a 3-yard run for the Mavericks score of the third.
 
Bollinger hooked up with Dagan Rienks for a 25-yard score for the Mavericks lone offensive touchdown of the quarter. Rienks took the pass and went down the sidelines and was upended heading into the endzone for the score to give the Mavericks the 27-23 lead they wouldn't relinquish.
 
Then it was the defense's turn to get in on the scoring.
 
On Chadron State's next drive, sophomore Nick Ciccio intercepted a Dalton Holst pass and returned it 34-yards for the pick-6. The interception was his second of the game and fourth of the season.
 
Chadron State made a late push and cut the lead to 35-30 with 1:39 to play in the game. They recovered the ensuing on-side kick with 1:38 to play and three timeouts.
 
They were stuffed on four straight downs with 59 second left but still had their timeouts. They forced the Mavericks to punt it away and took possession with 33 second remaining.
 
On the first play from scrimmage, freshman Justin White intercepted a Holst pass and returned it 33-yards to the house. It was the freshman's first collegiate interception and sealed the Maverick win.
 
Chadron State outgained the Mavericks by one-yard in total offense 470-469 and had the edge in rushing with 217 yards.
 
Greyson Matalus was the Mavericks leading tackler in the game with nine while Reed Rowan finished with six tackles including two sacks.
 
The Mavericks return home next weekend to take on the Colorado School of Mines Orediggers at Stocker Stadium. The Orediggers defeated New Mexico Highlands 42-13 in Golden on Saturday and will enter next week's matchup ranked in the AFCA Top 25 poll.