ALLENTOWN, Pa. – Muhlenberg junior quarterback Joe Carlucci's 1-yard quarterback keeper in the first overtime period proved to be the game-winner as the Mules (7-2, 6-2 Centennial) defeated Ursinus (5-4, 4-4 Centennial) 24-17 Saturday afternoon in Centennial Conference football play.

Carlucci, who came in for senior starting quarterback Dan Deighan late in the fourth quarter due to an injury, accounted for 20 of the 25 yards on the game-winning drive in the extra frame.

After Muhlenberg scored, Ursinus drove to the Muhlenberg 12-yard line before a pass from junior quarterback Chris Curran (Oceanview, N.J./Ocean City) to sophomore wide receiver Darius Jones (Lawnside, N.J./Haddon Heights) on the left side fell incomplete to the end game.

Ursinus led 14-7 going into the fourth quarter, and took a 17-14 lead with 6:46 left on a field goal by freshman kicker Eric Boyer (Fort Washington, Pa./Upper Dublin) from 20-yards out. The Bears were vying for their first win at Muhlenberg since 1999.

Curran finished the day 16-for-35 for 241 yards and two scores, with scoring tosses to Jones and junior wide receiver Jerry Rahill (Chalfont, Pa./Archbishop Wood). Junior tailback Bryan Ellis (Owings Mills, Md./McDonogh School) finished with 28 yards on 18 carries, while senior fullback Teddy Conrad (Doylestown, Pa./Central Bucks West) went for 23 yards on eight carries.

Defensively, sophomore cornerback Matt Glowacki (Spring City, Pa./Spring-Ford) finished with a team-best seven tackles and six solo stops. Junior defensive end Andrew Fiorentino (Oceanview, N.J./Ocean City) had a sack, along with sophomore linebacker Michael Moronese (Philadelphia, Pa./George Washington) and freshman defensive end Steve Ambs (Pottstown, Pa./Pottsgrove).

Both defensive back Max DeNardo (Hazlet, N.J./Raritan) and junior linebacker Brian Taylor (Philadelphia, Pa./Episcopal Academy)  had fumble recoveries in the win, as the Bears forced two Muhlenberg turnovers.

After Ursinus' opening drive stalled at their own 24-yard line, Muhlenberg went 60-yards in four plays capped by a 35-yard pass from Deighan to John Merklinger for a 7-0 Mules lead with 11:48 left in the first.

Muhlenberg looked to go up 14-0 on its next drive, going all the day down to the 2-yard line of Ursinus, but, Deighan fumbled it into the end zone and it was recovered for a touchback.

Ursinus would get on the board with 4:37 left in the second quarter as Curran found Rahill for a 66-yard scoring pass.

Muhlenberg took the opening kickoff of the second half and drove to the Ursinus 5-yard line before the defensive unit forced the Mules to turn the ball over on downs.

With 8:29 left in the third, Ursinus took the ball and went 71 yards in ten plays capped by a 39-yard touchdown pass from Curran to Jones for a 14-7 lead.

Muhlenberg tied the score with 12:52 left in regulation on a 2-yard run by senior running back Terrence Dandridge.

Following the field goal, Ursinus halted a Muhlenberg drive with 5:14 left when senior defensive tackle Greg Fontaina (Millburn, N.J./Millburn) forced a fumble that was recovered by Taylor at the Ursinus 48. The Bears actually lost yardage on their next drive and were forced to punt the ball with 3:49 left.

From there, Muhlenberg drove down the field to the Ursinus 20, where Connor Winter kicked a 37-yard field goal to tie the score at 17-all, forcing the extra frame.

It was the first overtime game for Ursinus since September 8, 2007.

Ursinus will host Dickinson on Saturday afternoon in the season finale.