BOX SCORE POSTGAME INTERVIEWS
HIGHLIGHTS

LORETTO, Pa.  – The Saint Francis University football team used a strong defense effort to knock off in-state conference rival Robert Morris Saturday at DeGol Field, 10-3.
 
For the second consecutive week the Red Flash (3-3, 2-1) defense needed to make a play late in the fourth quarter and against the Colonials (1-4, 1-2) the defense came up big and secured the win. Robert Smith (Carteret, N.J./Carteret) posted 10 tackles for the Flash including a 1.5 sacks to lead the SFU defense, while Ter'Shaudney Phillips (Deland, Fla./Deland) posted six tackles, two pass-deflections and an interception. Anthony Abeid (Youngstown, Ohio/Youngstown Christian) recorded a breakout performance with 116 yards receiving, including a 50-yard touchdown reception. The Saint Francis defense held RMU to just three points and turned over the Robert Morris offense twice while sacking RMU quarterback Jeff Sinclair twice times.
 
“I am very proud of this team, the heart they showed and the way they kept battling all afternoon,” head football coach Chris Villarrial. “This was a very hard nose game and our players did a great job staying in this game and making huge plays in key situations.”
 
The Red Flash moved the ball well on their opening possession going 58 yards on 13 plays until the drive ended on a fumble. John Kelly (Frederick, Md./Tuscarora) pulled the ball out of A.J. Alexander (Altoona, Pa./Altoona Area) belly, late on a zone read and the ball ended up in the hands of the Colonials. RMU looked like it might be able to take advantage of the SFU miscue driving the ball to the SFU 19-yard line, but the SFU defense stood tall on a fourth-and-one and turned the Colonials over on downs. The first quarter saw just one offensive possession for the Colonials as SFU's ball control offense held the ball for 9:02 in the first frame.
 
SFU broke on to the scoreboard with a huge passing play in the second quarter. Following a 16-yard run by Kelly, the senior quarterback hit Abeid with great pass on a post route and the freshman took it 50-yards for the score. RMU put together a strong drive in the middle of the second and got down to the Saint Francis 24-yard line but a well-timed interception by Phillips in the end zone ended the Colonials' scoring hopes.
 
Looking for points before the half, Robert Morris put together an eight-play 27-yard drive and picked up a 44-yard field goal from Greg Langer to make the score 7-3 with 34 seconds left in the half. After a short squib kick by Robert Morris and good return by Dan Conley (Burgettstown, Pa./Burgettstown), Kelly hit fellow senior Jeff Wasilewski (Ebensburg, Pa. / Central Cambria) for a 12-yard strike to put Josh Thiel (Leesburg, Va./Heritage) in range for a field goal attempt. The senior missed the 48-yard attempt but was roughed on the play giving the Flash a second chance. The senior from Leesburg, Va. made the most of it, connecting from 33-yards out with no time on the clock to give SFU a 10-7 advantage entering the half.
 
After trading punts early in the in the third Robert Morris got on the move thanks some strong running from Evan Shaw, who totaled 133-yards on the day. RMU got the ball down to SFU 26-yard line, but on run to his right, Jake DeMedal (New Wilmington, Pa./Wilmington) stripped Shaw and Terrace Bourne (Wilmington, Del./Alexis I. Dupont) recovered the loose ball ending another RMU drive.
 
The Red Flash looked like they might add to their total early in the fourth when Kelly hit Abeid on a wheel route and the rookie from Youngstown, Ohio used blazing speed to take the ball down to the RMU one-yard line. But before he could score, RMU's Marcelis Branch stripped the freshman, and the Colonial safety collected the ball in the end zone denying SFU a chance to extend its lead. Late in the fourth, SFU looked to pin RMU deep on a punt but the snap went through the hands of Grant Price (Fort Wayne, Ind./Carroll) and RMU recovered the ball on the SFU 39-yard line with 4:18 left. The SFU defense stood tall keeping the Colonials out of the end zone and forced RMU to turn the ball over on downs.
 
Following another SFU punt, Sinclair and RMU offense were on the move again but with no timeouts and only 48-seconds on the clock it was a tall task. Forced into a fourth-and-four, Sinclair heaved a desperation pass down the RMU sideline that landed out of bounds and sealed the win for the Flash.      
 
The Red Flash returns to the road next Saturday as they head to Albany, N.Y. to take on the Great Danes, with kickoff set for noon.  
 
GAME NOTES
- The Red Flash held an opponent to no touchdowns for the first time since the Flash shutout Sacred Heart Sept. 18, 2010.
 
- The 2-1-conference start is the best NEC start for SFU since 2005 when the Red Flash also started league play 2-1 in their first three games.
 
- The Red Flash football team has won three of their last four home games outscoring their opponents in those games 111-92.
 
- No Saint Francis program has lost this season at DeGol Field with football starting 2-0 and field hockey starting 2-0.
 
- The Saint Francis defense held the Robert Morris offense to the lowest point total for a RMU team in the 19-game history between the two schools.
 
- It is the first win for the Flash against the Colonials since 2005 when SFU knocked off RMU in Moon Township, Pa.