Tartans Cap Off Undefeated Season By Gritting Out 14-7 Win

Nov. 11 - (GREENVILLE, Pa.) - In a steady rainstorm that kept both offenses sluggish to start, the Tartans defeated Thiel College 14-7 to complete their first undefeated season in 16 years. Junior running back Travis Sivek (Traverse City, Mich./St. Francis) earned a piece of history as his 40-carry, 172-yard effort propelled the Tartan offense and made him the university's all-time leading rusher with 2,912.

Carnegie Mellon, who averaged a 22-point margin of victory through nine games, needed all 60 minutes to solidify their 10-0 perfect season despite Sivek's record-setting day and a stellar effort from the Division III’s fourth-best scoring defense.

"The game wasn’t over until it was over," said Head Coach Rich Lackner. "It came down to an onside kick that we recovered and our ability to get two first downs. That says a lot for our offense that they were able to kill the clock with three minutes to go. And it says a lot for our defense to hold a team of this caliber to seven points. It was a great team effort."

With the Tartans clinging to a 14-0 lead late in the fourth quarter, Thiel quarterback Billy Blankenship led the Tomcats (5-5) down the field on an 11-play, 70-yard drive which cut the deficit in half. A 14-yard completion from Blankenship to a wide-open Marc LaScola in the back left corner of the end zone brought the score to 14-7 with 3:33 remaining in regulation after a huge fourth-and-six completion to Brett Helman for 15 yards kept the drive going for Thiel.

Thiel's ensuing onside kick was recovered by freshman Brendan Howe (Grosse Pointe, Mich./Gross Pointe South) and by riding Sivek on five straight runs, the Tartans managed two first downs to eat up the time remaining on the clock and escape with a 14-7 victory. It was Sivek's six-yard carry with under a minute remaining that eclipsed Mike Campie's previous career record of 2,910 yards established from 1996-99.

"I said it last week [after topping the 1,000-yard mark]," Sivek said. "I'd like to thank everyone I've played with, this year and in the past. Everyone gives it their all every game."

Sivek, who last week became just the second 1,000-yard rusher in school history, gave Carnegie Mellon the early lead when he dove over a pile of Tomcat defenders into the end zone for his 12th rushing touchdown on the season. That 7-0 Tartan edge held up through the remainder of the first half as both offenses failed to piece together productive drives in the sloppy weather.

Led by senior linebacker James Rogers' (Battle Ground, Wash./Skyview) seven tackles, the Tartans kept Thiel out of the end zone throughout most of the game and yielded just 184 total yards.

While the Tomcats defense surrendered big chunks of yardage on the ground (251 rushing yards on the day), Thiel managed to shut out the Tartan offense throughout most of the third quarter. Junior Robert Gimson (Palm Beach Gardens, Fla./The Benjamin School) provided Carnegie Mellon with some breathing room after a nine-yard touchdown run that extended the lead to 14-0 heading into the final period.

The Tartans will await a decision on Sunday by the NCAA selection committee to determine if they will receive a berth in the Division III playoffs. A playoff appearance would be Carnegie Mellon’s first since 1997 and first NCAA appearance since 1990.