Fourth Quarter Comeback Gives CUA 28-27 Victory
21 points in the fourth quarter is enough to improve Cards to 4-1

9/29/2007

LANCASTER, Pa. - The Catholic University football squad (4-1) entered the fourth quarter Saturday afternoon looking at a 13-point deficit, a position they had been in before.  However, this weekend the Cards regrouped and scored three touchdowns to give them the 28-27 victory over the Franklin & Marshall Diplomats (1-3) in Pennsylvania.  The game marked CUA's final non-conference match-up of the season as they return to conference play next weekend.

CUA fell behind early as F&M scored six on their opening drive.  Much like the Cards, the Diplomats' offense relies heavily on the pass resulting in a shootout between quarterbacks Keith Ricca (Poolesville, Md./St. John's Prospect Hall) for CUA and Kyle Turner for F&M who managed to draw first blood.  Things got even worse for the Cards as Nick Olivero (Fairfax, Va./W.T. Woodson) fumbled a punt return which gave it back to the Diplomats at the CUA 31 to end the first quarter.

Opening the second F&M took advantage of CUA's mistake as Turner passed for his second touchdown of the day putting the Cards in a 13-0 hole.  Midway through the half things began to look up, however, as the Cardinal defense continued to play well and CUA finally got on the board thanks to Olivero.  The junior defensive back took a Jeff Hogan punt 55 yards into the end zone at 3:48 to give the Cards some momentum as time ticked towards the break.  Unfortunately it was short lived as Turner took his Diplomats right back the other way and made it 20-7 at the half.

The third quarter was a defensive battle with both squads giving the other chances but neither able to capitalize as the clock ran towards zero.  Starting the fourth the Cards were looking at a manageable 13-point deficit but things got worse quickly as Turner made it four TD's for the afternoon with a 76-yard bomb to Ryan Murray just minutes in.

On the ensuing kickoff the Diplomats had an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty called against them giving CUA the ball at midfield.  This was just the momentum the Cards needed as Ricca took them down to the red zone finishing with a 15-yard pass to Dan Saunders (Kensington, Md./Albert Einstein) making it 27-14.  On the next drive the Cardinal defense forced F&M three and out and CUA took over on their own 43 yard line.  The very first play Ricca put it up and found receiver Andrew Buis (Gaithersburg, Md./Gaithersburg) wide open for a 57-yard gain into the end zone making it a whole new ball game at 27-21 after Brendan Deluca (Gambrills, Md./St. Mary's (Md.)) connected on the PAT.

Once again forcing three and out, Ricca took over with five minutes remaining at his own 23.  The junior quarterback found receiver after receiver completing eight of ten passes including the final one to Saunders for 14-yards and the go-ahead TD with two minutes left.  The Diplomats tried to come back but the defense stopped their two drives to make the final 28-27, CUA.

Statistically the Diplomats held the offensive advantage 17-13 on first downs and 443-197 total yards.  Ricca was 21-34 for 199 yards and three touchdowns while Turner was 26-44 for 261 yards with four TD's.  Rich Barry (Wilmington, Mass./Wilmington) led CUA on the ground with eight yards on five carries.  Buis was the top receiver notching 85 yards and a TD on seven catches and Saunders was second with 56 yards on six catches with two touchdowns.

Defensively the Cardinals continued to play well thanks to the efforts of Anthony DelBorrell (Laurel, Md./DeMatha) and Bill Gross (Southampton, Pa./Archbishop Wood).  DelBorrell led all defenders with 17 tackles, seven solo and ten assisted.  He also had 2.5 sacks and 3.5 tackles for a loss of 13 yards.  Gross had 13 tackles for the game with a half sack and four tackles for a loss of ten yards.  Nick Olivero had a solid day in the secondary with 11 tackles, one for a loss and an interception.

The Cardinals will return to Old Dominion Athletic Conference play next Saturday as they travel to Washington and Lee for a 1:30 p.m. tilt with the Generals.