Box Score COLLEGEVILLE, Pa. – The Ursinus College football team,
ranked 24th in Division III, moved to 7-0 for the first
time since 1996 with a 43-18 win over McDaniel on Saturday
afternoon in the annual Homecoming game.
The team now joins the 1996 and 1902 teams as the only 7-0 teams
in school history, and now sit in sole possession of first place in
the Centennial Conference at 6-0 following a loss by Muhlenberg to
Franklin & Marshall on Saturday.
Senior quarterback Justin Decristofaro (Jenkintown, Pa./Father
Judge) threw for 367 yards and five touchdowns on a 23-for-38
performance. He also ran for a touchdown, accounting for 36 points
which sets a school record.
Junior wideout Al Desiderio (Philadelphia, Pa./Roman Catholic)
had three touchdown catches, finishing with 161 yards receiving. He
was named the winner of the Kenneth Walker Trophy, which is awarded
to the best player in the Homecoming game.
Ursinus, trailing 13-7 after one quarter, scored 20 points in
the second quarter in the final 3:44 to pull away from the Green
Terror (4-3, 3-3 Centennial). The Bears held McDaniel to just
five points in the final three quarter, on a field goal and a
return on a blocked PAT attempt in the third quarter.
Ursinus took the opening kickoff and marched 70 yards on 15
plays, capped by a 11 yard touchdown catch by junior running back
Kahlil Pittman (Willow Grove, Pa./Abington) with 8:40 left for a
7-0 lead. McDaniel would tie the score on its second possession of
the game, going four plays, 39 yards ended by a 31 yard pass from
junior quarterback Thomas Massucci to senior wide out Matt Cahill
with 4:42 left.
After Ursinus fumbled the ensuing kickoff, McDaniel took two
plays to score as Massucci threw a touchdown strike to junior tight
end Woody Butler with 4:16 left for a 13-7 lead.
Ursinus tied the score at 13-13 as Decristofaro plunged forward
for a 1-yard score with 3:44 left in the second. The Bears would
get the ball back as junior defensive end Sean Whelan (Doylestown,
Pa./Central Bucks East) sacked Massucci, forcing a fumble that was
recovered at the Green Terror 39-yard line by sophomore defensive
tackle Greg Fontaina (Millburn, N.J./Millburn) with 1:39 left. One
play later, Decristofaro found Desiderio for a 39-yard score and a
20-13 lead with 1:33 left.
Following a McDaniel punt, Ursinus got the ball back with 23
seconds left and Decristofaro found Desiderio for a 52-yard bomb
and a 27-13 lead.
McDaniel cut the lead to 27-16 with 11:51 left as junior kicker
Jake Nichols booted a 24 yard field goal. The Bears answered with a
field goal of their own, as freshman kicker Michael Bennett (Maple
Glen, Pa./La Salle College HS) nailed a 38 yard field goal with
seven minutes left for a 30-16 score.
On Ursinus' next offensive possession, Decristofaro found
Desiderio for a 70-yard touchdown pass anda 36-16 lead.
Following a block of Bennett's PAT, senior defensive back
Chris Kolb returned it 90-plus yards for two points, making the
score 36-18 with 4:29 left in the third.
The final score came with 8:16 left as Decristofaro capped a
nine-play, 44-yard drive with a eight yard scoring pass to junior
wide receiver Storm Miller (Jenkintown, Pa./Father Judge) to make
the final score 43-18. On the next drive, Ursinus got the ball at
the McDaniel 13 yard line, following an interception by sophomore
defensive back Buddy Ferro (Clifton Heights, Pa./Episcopal
Academy).
Defensively, junior linebacker Greg Martell (Levittown,
Pa./Neshaminy) and junior defensive back Joe Henry (Medford,
N.J./Shawnee) each had six tackles. The Bears netted nine pass
breakups, with senior defensive back Shane Whalen (Landenberg,
Pa./Avon Grove) had three.