Box Score

COLLEGEVILLE, Pa. – Senior wing Fred Caruso (Sinking Spring, Pa./Holy Name) rushed for a career-high 101 yards on just 11 carries, but the Gettysburg College football team lost by a 31-14 count at Ursinus College in its Centennial Conference opener on Saturday.
 
The Bears (2-0, 1-0 CC) never trailed after outscoring the Bullets 17-0 in the first quarter.
 
Gettysburg outgained Ursinus 341-227 but was hurt by five turnovers that led to 14 points, including an interception return for a touchdown.
 
The Bullets (0-2, 0-1 CC) pulled to within 10 twice, the last coming on a 23-yard touchdown pass from senior Zach Miller (Madison, Conn./Daniel Hand) to junior Brandon Sparks (New Hope, Pa./Central Bucks East) with 12:02 remaining that made it 24-14. But Gettysburg turned the ball over on downs on their next two possessions before the Bears made an interception at their own 10-yard line with less than a minute left.
 
Sparks scored a touchdown on both of his receptions and finished with 71 yards while Miller threw for 188 yards on 15-of-30 passing. Senior linebacker Mike Maguire (Colts Neck, N.J./Colts Neck) and sophomore linebacker Michael Pennella (Martinsville, N.J./Bridgewater-Raritan) led the defense with nine tackles apiece.
 
Steve Ambs had a big day defensively for Ursinus, making 13 tackles, including 5.0 for loss and 3.0 sacks. Corey Kelly rushed for 85 yards and a touchdown, and Kevin Monahan threw for 110 yards and a touchdown on 14-of-24 passing while rushing for an additional TD for the Bears.
 
After receiving the opening kickoff Ursinus scored on three of its first four possessions. The Bears opened the game with a 14-play, 71-yard drive, capped by a 1-yard TD plunge by Monahan with 8:30 on the clock.
 
Ursinus blocked a punt to start its next drive at the Gettysburg-16. But the Bears were unable to take advantage of the field position, missing a 35-yard field goal attempt.
 
The Bullets went three-and-out on their next possession before Eric Boyer made it a 10-0 game with a 25-yard field goal with 2:50 left in the opening quarter. Then three plays into Gettysburg's next drive, linebacker James Roccograndi returned an interception 30 yards for a touchdown, pushing the hosts' lead to 17-0 with 1:47 showing.
 
Gettysburg made a pair of defensive stands to start the second quarter, when it forced Ursinus into a turnover on downs and a punt, before putting together a 99-yard scoring drive. The Bears pinned the Bullets at their own 1-yard line following a 55-yard punt, but on the first play from scrimmage Miller connected with junior tight end Fred Pulzello (Glen Rock, N.J./Glen Rock) for a 25-yard completion. Five plays later, Miller hit Sparks on a 48-yard scoring strike, and sophomore Garrett Long's (Mechanicsburg, Pa./Cumberland Valley) first career extra point made it 17-7 with 4:51 left in the opening half.
Ursinus came up with its second interception on the third play of the second half and took over at the Gettysburg-36. Eight plays later, Monahan found Nick Lundholm for a 5-yard touchdown pass to make it 24-7 with 9:56 remaining in the third quarter.
 
The Bullets forced the Bears to punt on their next four possessions, and on their opening drive of the fourth quarter drove 82 yards on 11 plays, culminating in Sparks' second touchdown reception.
 
Trailing 24-14, Gettysburg took over at its own 22-yard line with 5:16 left but turned it over on downs at the Bullet-9 after two penalties and a sack. Two plays later, Kelly ran it in from 6 yards out to set the final score.
 
Gettysburg continues its season next Saturday, when it hosts Juniata College at 1 p.m. during Homecoming weekend in another Centennial Conference match-up.