BOX SCORE NEW BRITAIN, Conn. – After having only 10 yards on nine carries at halftime of Saturday's NEC opener at Central Connecticut State, it looked as though redshirt senior running back Kyle Harbridge (Easton, Pa./Easton Area) would have to wait another week to claim Saint Francis' all-time rushing record. Then, the second half happened. Harbridge rushed for 169 yards in the second half to take the crown as the SFU all-time rushing leader. He nearly helped the Flash overcome a 25-point halftime deficit, but CCSU held on for a 38-29 victory.

The record-clinching run came early in the fourth quarter as SFU scrambled its way back into the game. The carry, a 38-yard run up the middle, put the Flash inside the CCSU 10. Two plays later, Max Ward (Steelton, Pa./Middletown) hit Anthony Bowman (Damascus, Md./Our Lady of Good Counsel) on a play-action pass in the right flat from 5 yards out to pull SFU to within two points at 31-29. A missed extra point in the third quarter created the two-point gap, and the conversion attempt broke down with Ward being tackled short of the goal line.

Harbridge finished with 179 yards on 29 carries, giving him 3,439 career rushing yards. Todd Harris, the previous leader, finished his career in 2006 with 3,414. He kick-started the Red Flash comeback attempt on the team's opening drive of the second half. He exploded for a 60-yard run and capped the possession with an 8-yard score to make it 28-10.

The SFU defense made a big splash play to set up the next score. Freshman Lorenzo Jerome (Sunrise, Fla./J.P. Taravella) made his third interception of the season and returned it 65 yards deep into Blue Devil territory. Two plays later, Ward connected with freshman tight end Matt Valenzuela (Sterling, Va./Dominion ) for a 5-yard touchdown pass in the back corner of the end zone. With the missed PAT, the score stood at 28-16 with 7:33 to play in the third.

Things became more interesting towards the end of the quarter as Harbridge went in for the second time, scoring from 16 yards out to make it 28-23. After a CCSU field goal early in the fourth, the Harbridge record-breaking carry on the next possession set up the score to bring SFU to within two.

On Central Connecticut's next possession, the Blue Devils drove to the Flash 13-yard line. But a strip by Dylan Bear (Mars, Pa./Mars Area) forced CCSU running back Rob Hollomon to fumble, and Dave Coleman (Montclair, Pa./Montclair) recovered to prevent a potential score.

The Flash could come no closer, though, as it dropped its NEC opener and fell to 1-4. Today's loss is the first to a non-Top 25 team this season.

Ward finished 12-of-16 with 146 yards and two touchdown passes. He connected with eight different receivers in the game. Geesey hit a 38-yard field goal in the second quarter to put the Flash on the board.

Linebacker Max Ma'afala-Maiava (Pearl City, Hawaii/Aiea ) led the team with 8.5 tackles, while safety Jake DeMedal (New Wilmington, Pa./Wilmington) had 6.5. Jerome finished with 4.5 tackles and the interception.

Saint Francis moves on to its final non-conference game of the season against Monmouth next week in Loretto. Kickoff is scheduled for high noon.