Tartans Score 21 Unanswered to Defeat Washington University on Homecoming

Oct. 31 – (PITTSBURGH, Pa.) – The Carnegie Mellon University football team opened its 2009 University Athletic Association (UAA) schedule Saturday, October 31 against Washington University at Gesling Stadium. The Tartans scored 21 unanswered to come away with a 21-13 victory securing their 35th season of playing .500 football or better. The win improves the Tartans record to 5-3, 1-0, while the Bears are now 3-5, 0-1.

The Tartans scored twice in a 2:53 span after trailing 13-0 late in the third quarter. The first Cardinal and Gray score came four plays following junior punter Richard Pattison’s (Rocky River, Ohio) 55-yard punt that resulted in a fumble by senior Tim Machan as Tartan freshman Sam Thompson (Alcoa, Tenn.) recovered at the Washington 10-yard line. On third-and-goal from the four-yard line, senior quarterback Phil Pantalone (Camp Hill, Pa./Cedar Cliff) scored his first rushing touchdown of the season to cut the Bears lead to 13-7 with 14 seconds remaining in the third quarter.

On Washington’s ensuing possession, the Tartans defense forced the Bears to punt, but a bad snap by J.J. Gotlieb was fumbled by punter Austin Morman and jumped on by Carnegie Mellon’s Tom Todd (Pittsburgh, Pa./Mt. Lebanon) at the Washington 17-yard line. Two plays later, senior Andrew Lovrovich (Seattle, Wash./Bishop Blanchet) gave the Tartans a 14-13 lead on a two-yard scamper with 12:21 left in the fourth quarter.

The Tartans defense came-up with yet another stop forcing the Bears offense to a three-and-out. The Tartans took over at their own 25-yard line with 10:08 remaining in the contest following a Bear punt.

The potent rushing attack then kicked in for the Tartans, as they put together a 15-play, 75-yard drive taking 8:32 off the clock. The drive ended with a one-yard touchdown run by junior running back Justin Pratt (Bethel Park, Pa.) with 1:36 remaining to make it 21-13.

The Bears had one last chance but an interception by Tartan senior Socrates Zacharias (Pittsburgh, Pa./Mt. Lebanon) sealed the homecoming victory for the home team.

Washington sandwiched a 10-yard touchdown reception from quarterback Stephen Sherman to senior halfback Greg Lachaud between a pair of field goals from junior Tim Johnson that made the score 13-0 in favor of the Bears.

The Tartans held the edge in total offense 234-233 with 204 of their yards coming on the ground. The home team forced four turnovers to the Bears one and also continued its success in the red-zone going three-of-three.

Pratt led the Cardinal and Gray’s rushing attack with 97 yards on 21 carries and one touchdown. Lovrovich finished the afternoon with 40 yards rushing and a score.

Zacharias tied a career-high with ten tackles. The senior also had one interception and recorded a sack for a loss of 11 yards. Junior Mike Shedlosky (Bridgewater, N.J.) and sophomore Ray Johnson (Brick, N.J.) added nine tackles each in the win. Shedlosky also tallied two sacks for a loss of 15 yards as the Tartans had a total of four sacks for a loss of 37 yards while the Bears managed two sacks totaling five yards.

Bears junior Jim O’Brien ran for a game-high 111 yards on 15 carries. Sherman finished the contest 13-of-20 passing for 106 yards and a TD. Senior Andrew Berryman led the defensive unit for Washington with a season-high 13 tackles, while Machan added nine stops.

The Tartans will continue UAA play as they host 12th-ranked Case Western Reserve Saturday, November 7. Kickoff is slated for 2:00 p.m. on the turf of Gesling Stadium.