Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell University
Georgetown
Georgetown's Last-Minute Field Goal Hands Bucknell Football Second Straight Close Loss, 20-17
10/20/2007 8:00:00 AM | Football
Oct. 20, 2007
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LEWISBURG, Pa. - A 38-yard field goal by Eric Bjonerud with 10 seconds left handed Bucknell its second consecutive tight Patriot League loss as the Bison fell by a 20-17 margin to Georgetown Saturday afternoon in front of a Homecoming crowd of 6,084 at Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium. Marcello Trigg completed 16 of 25 passes for 207 yards, all of which were career highs, and a pair of touchdowns to freshman Shaun Pasternak for Bucknell, including a game-tying score with just 43 seconds remaining.
Trigg engineered a 13-play, 72-yard drive that took just three minutes off the clock to tie the score at 17-all in the final minute. Two plays before completing a fade to a leaping Pasternak in the left corner of the end zone, it appeared Trigg had evened the score with a pass to Josh Lovett, but the ball squirted out of Lovett's hands as he skidded across the ground on his back. Trigg then found Pasternak for the second time in the game.
The Bison squibbed the ensuing kickoff, and up-back Paul Sant'Ambrogio knocked the ball down and dove on it for Georgetown (1-7, 1-3 Patriot League) at its own 41-yard line. Quarterback Matt Bassuener, who completed 35 of 46 passes for 240 yards, drove the Hoyas to Bucknell's 21-yard line with four straight completions. With no timeouts left, Bjonerud was called upon to kick a field goal for just the second time this season. Battling a swirling wind, he kicked the ball through the uprights from 38 yards out with just 10 seconds left to play.
The game was tied at 10-10 much of the second half, until Georgetown went on top 17-10 with 5:28 left. Bassuener completed 10 passes on a 14-play, 80-yard drive that he capped with a one-yard quarterback sneak. He did not have an incompletion on the drive and finished the game with 14 consecutive completions.
The Bison (2-5, 0-2 Patriot League) never led in the contest, but kept the score close in the first half with Will Carney kicking a 22-yard field goal and Trigg finding Pasternak five seconds before halftime on a 16-yard pass that was batted around by defensive back Kevin Cherepski before finally landing in Pasternak's hands to tie the score at 10-all. Both of Bucknell's touchdowns in the game came while running the two-minute offense at the end of each half.
Bucknell's defense came up with two turnovers and a fourth-down stop in the second half, but the Bison could not convert any of the takeaways into points. Julius Hopson's first career interception stopped Georgetown's opening drive of the second half near midfield, but the offense lost 19 yards on a fumbled pitch and a sack and had to punt.
Later in the third quarter, Bassuener threw incomplete on fourth-and-3 at the Bucknell 29, and the Bison took more than five minutes off the clock and drove 50 yards on 11 plays, but another sack stalled the drive, and Carney missed wide right on a 38-yard field goal attempt.
Two plays later, however, Jason Davis intercepted a pass at the Georgetown 39, but the Hoyas forced a three-and-out, then proceeded to drive 80 yards for the go-ahead touchdown.
With his two touchdown receptions Pasternak became the first Bucknell receiver to accomplish that feat since Ian Nutt and Nisan Trotter each did Sept. 25, 2004 against Columbia. He finished with a career-high six receptions and 83 yards.
Trigg's career day helped him become the first Bucknell player to throw for 200 yards in a game since Dante Ross did so in Oct. 29, 2005 against Lafayette. He also equaled his career high with his two touchdown passes to Pasternak.
Josh DeStefano led the Bison in rushing with 61 yards on 13 carries, while A.J. Kizekai, who earlier in the game broke the Bucknell single-season record for kickoff return yards (766), added 47 yards on the ground. Overall, the Bison tallied 132 yards rushing, while Georgetown had 138.
In addition to leading Georgetown with his 240 passing yards, Bassuener added a team-high 64 yards rushing. Alex Carroll also totaled 56 yards on the ground for the Hoyas.
On the defensive side of the ball, Todd Manjuck and Greg Jones paced Bucknell with 11 apiece. Chris Rau and Travis Mack registered nine apiece for Georgetown.
The loss was Bucknell's second straight heartbreaker. Last time out it fell at Colgate 28-24 on a touchdown with 31 seconds remaining.
Earlier in the day, three Bison football alumni were inducted into the Bucknell Athletics Hall of Fame. All-time rushing leader Rich Lemon '97, offensive line standout Mike Axe '75, and the late quarterback Jim Given '88 were all enshrined.
The Bison will be back home next Saturday, Oct. 27, for a Family Weekend game with Holy Cross. Kickoff is slated for 1 p.m.
