Gators Lose Overtime Heartbreaker 12-9

Sep 10, 2005

Boxscore

MEADVILLE, Pa. – The Allegheny College Gators dropped their second consecutive overtime game of the 2005 season to Westminster College by a 12-9 score on Saturday, September 10. The host Gators did not allow a touchdown in the contest, but four field goals by Titan kicker Chris Castillo gave the visitors the three-point win.

Patsy Malie (Youngstown, Ohio/Cardinal Moody) ran for a career-high 101 yards on 18 carries, as the Gators out-gained the Titans 287-to-199 in the contest.

Westminster found the scoreboard first in the contest, when Castillo hit the first of his four field goals, this one from 23 yards away, giving the visitors the 3-0 lead. Allegheny fought back in their next drive, using 12 plays to cover 60 yards, scoring when Jimmy Savage (North Canton, Ohio/Hoover) found Matt Pertile (Conway/Freedom) from 13 yards away, but a missed extra point kept the hosts lead to 6-3.

Allegheny took a 9-3 lead into the locker room when kicker Josh Whiteside (Pittsburgh/Upper St. Claire) booted a kick between the uprights from 28 yards away, giving the hosts a six-point advantage heading into the break.

After forcing a three-and-out on Westminster’s first possession, the Gators fumbled the ball on their own 33 yardline, giving the visitors a short field in which they cashed in with a 22-yard field goal seven plays later.

After a second fumble in as many possessions, the Titans once again capitalized, driving 23 yards in eight plays before hitting a 29-yard field goal with 5:07 to play in the third stanza.

The fourth quarter was a defensive battle with neither team able to reach the scoreboard, as the Gators and Titans went into extra sessions for the third time in the last three meetings between the squads.

A 15-yard rush by Malie started things strong in the overtime period for Allegheny, however, the drive fizzled at the three yardline and the field goal attempt went wide right, keeping the score at nine apiece.

The Gator defense held in Westminster’s attempt, as the visitors gained just one yard in three plays, but Castillo’s right leg proved to be all they would need, as the senior booted a 43-yard field goal, giving the Titans the three-point victory.

Malie was the game’s leading rusher with 101 yards while Savage rushed for 52 yards on 13 carries and Sean Locklin (Export/Franklin Regional) had 46 yards on 17 attempts. Sean Buggey led the Titans with 78 yards on 25 carries while Eddie Williams grounded out 64 yards on 18 attempts.

Savage was 11-of-19 passing in the contest with a touchdown and an interception, gaining a total of 86 yards in the air, while his counterpart on the Westminster sideline, J.R. Barley, was 10-of-15 for 63 yards in the contest.

Pertile and Kyle Geiser (Orrville, Ohio) each led the team with three receptions for 32 and 24 yards, respectively, while Brett Ziegler of Westminster had four catches for 39 yards.

Josh Dracup (Meadville) led the squad with a dozen tackles, four of which came for a loss, while Brad Stotsky (Evans City/Seneca Valley) recorded nine. Matt Ludewig (Toronto, Ohio) and Adam Duncan (Blairsville/Derry Area) each had eight stops in the contest. Westminster was led by Jerry Boneberger, who had 11 stops while Ryan Chmura and Joey Tissler each had nine tackles in the contest.

With the loss, the Gators fall to 0-2 on the season, falling by a combined nine points in two overtime games, while Westminster improves to 1-1 overall.

The next game for the Blue and Gold is on Saturday, September 17, when the team travels to Washington, Pennsylvania to face off against the Presidents of Washington and Jefferson College with kickoff set for 6:30 p.m.

Game Notes (PDF)
Two-Deeps (PDF)

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