Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell University
Marist
Late Touchdown Helps Bucknell Football to 21-17 Victory at Marist
10/4/2008 8:00:00 AM | Football
Oct. 4, 2008
POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. - Four completions by Marcello Trigg to Shaun Pasternak in the final two minutes helped the Bucknell football team come from behind to defeat Marist 21-17 Saturday afternoon at sun-splashed Tenney Field at Leonidoff Stadium. The first Bison lead came when Pasternak caught his fourth touchdown of the season in traffic along the back of the end zone with 1:03 to play.
Despite trailing most of the game and managing just 46 yards in the second and third quarters, Bucknell improved to 3-1 on the season thanks to a pair of touchdowns on its two fourth-quarter drives.
Trailing 17-14, the Bison took possession of the ball for the final time with less than three minutes on the clock in the fourth quarter after a punt pinned them at their own six-yard line. Trigg and Pasternak highlighted the drive, hooking up four times for 72 yards. The big play was a 42-yard reception that Pasternak had to wrestle away from a pair of Marist defensive backs. Two more completions brought Bucknell to the three-yard line. Pasternak proceeded to haul in the game-winning score with his fingertips as he fell out of the back of the end zone.
Marist (1-5) did have one final drive, needing a touchdown to win, but quarterback Chris Debowski came up short on a fourth-down scramble near midfield. It was the second loss in the final minute for the Red Foxes this season.
Bucknell entered the fourth quarter trailing 17-7, but Trigg threw for both of the touchdowns in the frame. His first came when he connected with Alex Odenbach on a nine-yard strike to complete a quick seven-play, 67-yard drive that spanned just 2:39.
Trigg was 19 of 26 overall for 219 yards. It was his third 200-yard game of the season, and 166 of those yards came in the second half. He also rushed for a touchdown early in the second quarter, concluding a 14-play drive. Pasternak recorded his third 100-yard receiving game of the season as he reached the century mark on the winning touchdown catch.
Even though Bucknell came away with the victory, the spirited Marist Homecoming crowd of 3,522 thought the home Red Foxes would pull off its second win of the season. Bo Ehikioya rushed for 156 yards and set the tone for the first three quarters with an 80-yard touchdown run on Marist's first play of the game. That score was the 42nd of his career, setting a Red Foxes record.
Immediately preceding Ehikioya's run down the left sideline, it looked like the Bison were going to continue their success against Marist, a squad they were 3-0 against the last three years with the wins coming by an average of 27 points. However, the Marist defense stopped Bucknell inside the 10-yard line on that opening drive. A fake field goal attempt by the Bison resulted in an Andrew Lair interception in the end zone.
A six-yard run by Ryan Dinnebeil midway through the second quarter gave the Red Foxes a 14-7 halftime advantage, while a 26-yard field goal by Kevin Pauly late in the third quarter gave Marist its two-possession advantage.
Bucknell lost the time of possession battle 36:37 to 23:23 and had just over eight minutes of possession time in the second half. However, the Bison did record five drives of at least eight plays. Marist had three drives of at least eight plays and recorded touchdowns on two of them.
Debowski completed 14 of 21 passes for 140 yards for the Red Foxes.
Bucknell rushed for just 89 yards, its second straight game under 100 yards. A.J. Kizekai led the Bison with 51 yards on the ground, while Josh Lee contributed 24, including a 30-yard rush on the opening drive of the game.
Marques Morgan and Sam Nana-Sinkam tied for the team lead for the Bison with 10 tackles apiece. Rory Foley and John Van Aman led the Red Foxes with eight tackles each.
Bucknell will return home next Saturday, Oct. 11, to host Hofstra. Kickoff is slated for 1 p.m. at Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium and it is Community Day, with free admission for all fans.
