The Muhlenberg Weekly

Issue date: 11/18/04 Section: Sports

In the 2004 season, the Mules (8-2) have been faced with a number of difficult challenges. The combination of season-ending injuries and last minute game losses left the team with a questionable future. But last weekend, everything seemed to fall into place as they defeated their rival Moravian. In addition to this win, the Mules were dependent upon the outcome of five other games to earn them the Centennial Conference bid to the NCAA tournament. This is the third year in a row that the Mules will be competing in round one. They hope to stay alive into advanced rounds this year.

“The character of the guys on this team is unbelievable,” said Senior co-Captain Frank Santini. “All season we have just overcome obstacle after obstacle... This season has really been a great story, and the great part is that it’s not over yet.”

In the game this weekend, Moravian took the kick-off, and the Mules took the ball on the four yard line. On the third down, they gave up two points when a holding penalty in the end zone resulted in a safety.

With Moravian up 2-0, the Greyhounds took the ball to the Mules 27 yard line, but the Mules’ defense stopped its first of five fourth-down stops.

With just over three minutes left in the first quarter, a screen pass from Senior Nick Rosetti found Sophomore Stephen Montalto on a fourth and four attempt. Montalto ran 28 yards down the sideline, where he dove to the endzone for the first touchdown of the game.

Senior Brian Hendershot recovered his own onsides kick, giving the Mules’ possession for another offensive move. The Mules drove 54 yards in eleven plays, placing them on the three yard line. Sophomore Keith Shalvoy had a three yard run on a fourth and one, and freshman back Matt Johnson took to ball from the one yard line and barreled his way to the endzone to add to the Mules’ lead.

Later that quarter, Sophomore Dustin Martin blocked a punt, which gave the Mules possession at the Moravian 20 yard line. A few plays later, including a first down run from Johnson on a fourth-and-one, a five yard pass from Rosetti flew into Sophomore Chris Giannini’s hands in the endzone. The half concluded with the Mules up 20-2.

Scoring came to a halt until a sequence in the beginning of the fourth quarter put a few points on the Moravian side. A fumbled punt by the Mules gave Moravian the ball on the Mules’ 27, and one play later they found the endzone to make the score 20-8. This broke the Mules’ record of 24 quarters with no offensive touchdowns.

Continued...

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