Olivero's Big Day Helps Cards to 31-21 Win
CUA posts its first ODAC victory of the season

10/27/2007 

WASHINGTON - Nick Olivero (Fairfax, Va./W.T. Woodson) had three interceptions and the Catholic University defense forced seven turnovers on their way to a 31-21 Old Dominion Athletic Conference victory over the Emory & Henry College Wasps (4-4, 1-3 ODAC) Saturday afternoon at Cardinal Stadium.  The win gave CUA (5-3, 1-3 ODAC) its first conference win of the season and some momentum going into next week's final home game versus Guilford, who is winless in the ODAC.

Emory & Henry scored first putting together a nice six-play 77-yard touchdown drive mixing up the running and passing to find the end zone at 8:44.  However, the rest of the game would not be so pretty for the Wasps.  CUA tied it up late in the long first quarter on their first play of the drive.  Quarterback Keith Ricca (Gaithersburg, Md./St. John's Prospect Hall) set up and fired a deep pass into the corner of the end zone to a wide open Andrew Buis (Gaithersburg, Md./Gaithersburg) to make it 7-7.  The first quarter would not end without another score as Steven Friend blocked Thomas Breslin's (Sugarloaf, Pa./Bishop Hafey) punt with just a minute remaining and ran it back 30 yards to go up by seven.

The Cards drove down on their very next opportunity and once again had an answer thanks to the running game of Greg Brown (Philadelphia, Pa./Malvern Prep) and Buis who rushed for 22 and 21 yards apiece.  Ricca completed the five yard pass to Dan Saunders (Kensington, Md./Albert Einstein) less than two minutes in to once again knot the score.  A Cardinal fumble with five minutes remaining gave the Wasps a good shot at the end zone and EHC quarterback Daniel Booher took it hitting Jonathan Hawkins with a 33-yard pass to once again snag the lead.  Dweh Siklo (Silver Spring, Md./Albert Einstein) forced the first of what would be many turnovers with three minutes to go and the Cards eeked out a field goal to get within four.  As time ran down Olivero intercepted Booher to make it two turnovers in the first half and 21-17 at the break.

The second half was owned by the Cardinals as they scored 14 points and forced six turnovers.  On Catholic University's opening drive Ricca completed three of four passes and found Noah Rogers (Lorton, Va./Bishop O'Connell) in the end zone for the go ahead TD.  Gavin Haynes was under center for the Wasps in the second half and he showed his speed on their first few plays but the Wasps couldn't get anything going and were forced to punt.  Little did they know that would be their final punt of the day as each remaining drive ended in a turnover. 

John Jacobs (Gaithersburg, Md./Gaithersburg) entered at QB for the Cards in the third and orchestrated a 13-play drive ending with Brown rushing past the goal line for six and a Brendan Deluca (Gambrills, Md./St. Mary's) PAT.  Anthony DelBorrell (Laurel, Md./DeMatha) forced the fumble on EHC's next drive but it was given right back on Ricca's interception.  The Wasps had the ball to start the four down 31-21.  Haynes ended that drive on an interception by senior Mike Goodman (Brookville, Md./Sherwood).  Olivero notched his second and third interceptions of the game to once again stop any EHC momentum on their next two possessions.

The turnover margin continued to spiral out of control for the Wasps on their next drive when Achille Kolla (Rockville, Md./Bethesda-Chevy Chase) forced a fumble by new quarterback Jay Nagel.  Haynes reentered on the next possession and three his final interception of the game as it was picked off by sophomore Tommie Roberson (Gainesville, Fla./Gainesville Eastside).  With two minutes remaining each team had one drive left and the Cards were forced to punt.  EHC was looking to get out of the game without another turnover but time ran out before the drive making the final 31-21.

Buis and Miles Sabrick (Douglassville, Pa./Reading Central Catholic) each had 71 yards receiving for the game and Buis had a TD, Rogers posted 55 yards on eight catches and one touchdown.  Ricca was 23-38 for 212 yards and three touchdowns, Jacobs also got into the scoring with 57 yards on eight completions and one TD.  Brown led the ground attack with 49 yards on 20 carries and one trip into the end zone.  The EHC QB's combined for 10-22 passing for 160 yards with a touchdown.  Haynes gained the most yards on the day with 42 on ten carries.

DelBorrell led the Cardinal defense with 12 tackles and one forced fumble, Bill Gross (Southampton, Pa./Archbishop Wood) posted nine tackles for the game. 

CUA will host Guilford next Saturday at noon at Cardinal Stadium in its final home game of the 2007 season.