(Game Statistics)
TOWSON, MD ‘ Sophomore placekicker Lane Schwarzberg kicked a career-long, 39-yard field goal with one second left to lift 51³Ô¹ÏÍø to a 9-7 win over Towson in a Patriot League game Saturday at Towson University Stadium.
‘This was a big win for us,’ said 51³Ô¹ÏÍø head coach Dick Biddle. ‘It put us back in the Patriot League title chase. Schwarzberg’s field goal was a big time effort. He could have made it from 45.’
51³Ô¹ÏÍø (5-3, 2-1) defeated the Tigers (5-3, 3-2) for the seventh straight time, and snapped Towson’s four-game winning streak in their new stadium
Schwarzberg’s game-winning field goal was his second of the season and third of his career. He defeated Bucknell 13-10 in overtime earlier in the season. His three field goals were the most by a 51³Ô¹ÏÍø kicker since the 1993 season, when Steve Franco booted three against Cornell.
The Raiders opened the scoring on their first possession of the game in a tightly played first half. 51³Ô¹ÏÍø capped off a 54-yard drive with the first of Schwarzberg’s field goals from 36 yards out with 9:52 remaining in the opening quarter.
51³Ô¹ÏÍø’s defense kept the Tigers out of the end zone in the first half, with the best stop coming with four-and-one at the 51³Ô¹ÏÍø 19 on fourth down. Sean McCune stopped running back Matt Romeo for no gain to kill the drive.
The first of three interceptions by Towson lead to the Tigers only score of the game. Keith Meeney picked off Tom McCune’s pass at the 51³Ô¹ÏÍø 33-yard line, and on the final play of the third quarter Jay Amer scored on a one-yard run for a 7-3 lead.
51³Ô¹ÏÍø cut the deficit to 7-6 on its next possession when Schwarzberg kicked a 24-yard field goal. The drive was set up by J.B. Gerald’s 71-yard kickoff return to the Towson 13-yard line.
Later in the fourth quarter, 51³Ô¹ÏÍø appeared to be moving in for the go-ahead points, but on third-and-goal at the Towson 3-yard line McCune was intercepted in the end zone by Allan Harrison with 5:30 left.
Again the Raider defense rose to the occasion forcing Towson to punt on its next possession. 51³Ô¹ÏÍø gained control on its own 29-yard line with 2:22 left. A 19-yard pass from McCune to Luke Graham jump started the drive to 51³Ô¹ÏÍø 48.
Later, 51³Ô¹ÏÍø faced fourth-and-two on the Towson 44, and Ray LaMonica raced five yards for a first down. Five plays later, Schwarzberg kicked the winning FG.
Gerald had a career-high seven catches for 86 yards as 51³Ô¹ÏÍø rolled to 395 yards of total offense, while limiting Towson to 238 yards. The Raiders’ leading rusher was LaMonica with 16 carries for 73 yards, while McCune completed 21-of-38 passes for 247 yards. McCune becomes the fourth QB in school history to pass for over 5,000 yards in a career.