Cards Battle Bishops to 20-14 Win
Olivero's interception seals CUA victory

9/8/2007

DELAWARE, Ohio - What looked like a near disaster for the Catholic University football squad (2-0) was saved by an interception in the end zone by junior defensive back Nick Olivero (Fairfax, Va./W.T. Woodson).  His pick ended an Ohio Wesleyan (0-2) drive filled with penalties and miscues giving the Cardinals the 20-14 victory and improving them to 2-0 on the season.  After going ahead early the CUA offense was unable to generate point in the second half but the defense was able to hold on to keep the Cards perfect in 2007.

CUA came out and scored on their first possession of the game going 86-yards behind the rushing on freshman Mike Smith (Silver Spring, Md./The Bullis School).  On third and 12 at the Battling Bishop 46 quarterback Keith Ricca (Poolesville, Md./St. John's Prospect Hall) found an open Andrew Buis (Gaithersburg, Md./Gaithersburg) downfield and hit him for the 46-yard pass and the 7-0 lead. 

A host of turnovers by both squads made the rest of the quarter choppy but CUA still managed to put points on the board with another long drive down the field.  CUA methodically moved into OWU territory and at 14:52 in the second quarter had Ricca complete his second touchdown pass of the day to Dan Saunders (Kensington, Md./Albert Einstein).  Thomas Breslin (Sugarloaf, Pa./Bishop Hafey (Pa.) put the PAT through the uprights to go up 14-0.  Unfortunately Ohio Wesleyan quarterback Andy Boff completed a 30-yard pass to Zach Dennis in the end zone on the next drive to pull within seven.

As the time ticked away in the first half, the Cardinals managed one more score with an 11-play drive lasting almost five minutes.  Ricca used short passes to move the ball and on the final two plays he gave it to running back Stevie Hendley (Annandale, Va./Bishop O'Connell) who crossed the goal like at 3:23, a missed kick made it 20-7 going into the break.

The second half didn't start well for the Cardinal offense as they missed a 22-yard field goal attempt on their first drive of the game.  To make matters worse, CUA gave away seven points late in the third quarter on a botched punt.  After going three and out a bad snap sailed over the head of Breslin who chased it down but dragged his knee at the two-yard line giving OWU prime field position.  On the next play Zack Rojek banged it in making the score 20-14. 

Despite a lack of scoring from the offense, the Cardinal defense stalled every Bishop advance and was on their way to victory until they were forced to give OWU one last chance with 30 seconds left.  The Bishops completed a 26-yard pass and a CUA 15-yard penalty moved the ball to the Cardinals' 20 yard line.  A OWU penalty moved it back five but on the next play CUA was flagged with pass interference on an incomplete try to move the ball to the Catholic University 12.  With 15 seconds left Olivero picked off Boff's pass in the end zone to end the game 20-14.

The Cards had 243 passing yards for the game with Ricca completing 23 of 37 passes for 213 yards and two TD's.  The Battling Bishops had 114 yards in the air for the game.  On the ground CUA netted 130 yards on 46 carries.  Rich Barry (Wilmington, Mass./Wilmington) had 60 on nine touches while Hendley accumulated 58 yards with nine carries and a TD.  Rojek led OWU with 77 yards on 19 carries.  On defense senior Anthony DeBorrell (Laurel, Md./DeMatha) had 13 tackles including one for a loss of two yards.  Olivero had seven tackles and one interception while Ed Coleman (Green Bay, Wis./Notre Dame (Wis.) put up solid numbers with five tackles including one sack, one for a loss and a forced fumble.

The Cards will travel to McDaniel College next weekend for a 1:00 p.m., contest versus the Green Terror (0-2).