COLLEGEVILLE, Pa. – Ursinus' second half rally against Muhlenberg fell just short as the Mules (6-3, 6-2 Centennial) held on for a 24-21 win over the Bears (5-4, 5-3 Centennial) Saturday afternoon at Patterson Field.
Ursinus scored all 21 points in the second half, and had recovered an onside kick with 35 seconds left. However, a game-tying 45-yard field goal from the right hash by sophomore kicker Michael Bennett (Maple Glen, Pa./La Salle College) was blocked by sophomore safety Andrew Onimus.
It was a tail of two halves, as Muhlenberg owned the first 30 minutes, with Ursinus taking the back 30. The Mules marched out to a 21-0 halftime lead via two touchdown passes from junior quarterback Dan Deighan and a 40-yard run by Deighan which opened up the scoring the first quarter.
In the second half, Ursinus got two TD passes from sophomore quarterback Chris Curran (Oceanview, Pa./Ocean City), while sophomore tailback Drae Lewis (Williamsport, Pa./Williamsport) rushed for a seven-yard score.
Curran finished the day 29-for-43 for 361 yards and two scores, while Deighan was 11-for-17 for 136 yards and two scores.
Junior running back J.T. Merklinger had 94 yards on 17 carries for Muhlenberg, with Lewis going for 50 yards on 11 carries.
In the receiving department, Deighan had a team-high three catches for 38 yards for Muhlenberg, while senior Al Desiderio (Philadelphia, Pa./Roman Catholic) had 168 yards on seven catches and a score for Ursinus.
Senior linebacker Patrick McDonough had eight tackles for Muhlenberg, with senior defensive back Mike Rissmiller (Hummelstown, Pa./Lower Dauphin) going for eight stops for Ursinus.
Muhlenberg started off the game by going 69 yards on three plays, capped by Deighan's 40-yard run off tackle for 7-0 Muhlenberg lead with 13:33 left.
Ursinus then drove down the field on its first offensive possession, but Desiderio was stripped of the ball on the Muhlenberg 23 yard line, which was recovered by junior safety Shane O'Connor.
On the next drive, Muhlenberg went 17 plays and 61 yards, but, a 36-yard field goal by senior kicker Gregg Mercogliano went wide left.
After the Bears' next drive stalled out at their own 46, Muhlenberg went up 14-0 with 12:06 left in the second quarter on a 30-yard touchdown catch by junior wide receiver Isaiah Vaughn from Deighan. The Mules increased the lead to 21-0 on a 21-yard touchdown pass from Deighan to freshman tight end Michael Long with 3:41 left.
The second half started off great for Ursinus, as the Bears got two interceptions in the third quarter from senior defensive back Scott Gardus (Allentown, Pa./Salisbury) and junior defensive back Chris Rountree (Lawnside, N.J./Haddon Heights). Rountree's interception with 9:12 left in the third set up Ursinus' first score as Lewis ran in from 7-yards out to cap a 46-yard, seven play drive for a 21-7 deficit with 4:55 left.
After stopping the Mules on their next possession, Ursinus got within seven at 21-14 when Curran completed an 85-yard pass to Desiderio with 57 seconds left in the third.
The last two drives turned out to be the most important of the game as Muhlenberg marched 48 yards on nine plays in the fourth, with Mercogliano kicking a 38 yard field goal with 1:43 left for a 24-14 Muhlenberg lead. Ursinus struck quickly, as Curran found senior wide receiver Nick Giarratano (Wapwallopen, Pa./Crestwood) for a 28-yard touchdown catch down the middle of the field with 37 seconds left to put the Bears with three at 24-21.
Senior tight end Seth Cardene (Hainesport, N.J./Rancocas Valley) then kicked the onsides to the home sideline, which was recovered by senior defensive back Joe Henry (Medford, N.J./Shawnee) at the Ursinus 45. Ursinus got as far as the Muhlenberg 28-yard line before the game-tying field goal was missed.
Ursinus closes the season at Dickinson Saturday.