newjerseynewsroom.com

BY JEREMY SCHILLING

NEWJERSEYNEWSROOM.COM

WEST LONG BRANCH — Coming into today, Monmouth University football was a fairly disciplined team, being penalized only 14 times for 133 yards through the first three games of the season.

Saturday, however, was a very different story.

Monmouth (2-2, 1-1) was penalized 13 times for 136 yards, none bigger than one on a Robert Morris (1-3, 1-0) punt that gave them a new set of downs new life and helped lead to their game-winning score. The 23-20 final gave Robert Morris their first victory of the year and their first Northeast Conference victory.

“I think today’s game is a disappointment for us,” head coach Kevin Callahan said. “I think there were instances throughout the game where we did some very good things, but we just didn’t play with the type of consistency all the way through to put ourselves in a position to win the game. The penalties were our undoing.”

With the score 20-17 Monmouth with 10:17 left in the fourth quarter, Robert Morris was readying to punt the ball back to the Hawks when Monmouth was caught for an illegal substitution penalty for having 12 men on the field. That gave the Colonials a new set of downs, and seven plays later Robert Morris’ quarterback Jeff Sinclar hit Shadrae King for a 21-yard touchdown reception. The extra point was blocked, however, by safety Jose Gumbs, so it was only 23-20 Robert Morris with 5:15 left in the game. Sinclair finished the game 18-24 passing for 211 yards and two touchdowns. King had nine catches for 104 yards and two touchdowns.

On the ensuing Hawks possession, Monmouth drove down the field in five plays, including a beautiful pass from quarterback Kyle Frazier to Neal Sterling for 37 yards that was made better by Sterling’s one-handed catch in tight coverage. That set up an Eric Spillane field 49 yard field goal that would have tied it but just fell yards short, giving the ball back to the Colonials.

Spillane’s previous career long was 46, but he felt comfortable at that distance.

“I was hitting that in pregame,” Spillane said. “I was felt really confident. I thank Coach Cal for the opportunity. I felt I could make it. [It was] just one of those that missed by [very little].”

“It’s a long field goal,” Callahan said. “It’s into a bit of a breeze – not much – but a bit of a breeze. It’s at the top of his range. I thought it was worth a shot. I think that Eric’s capable of making that kick.”

Monmouth got the ball back one more time after a Robert Morris punt but Frazier and the offense’s last gaps effort with 1:36 left fell short as a hail mary pass to the end zone was batted away, giving Robert Morris the win. Frazier finished the game 27-41 passing for 241 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions.

“We hurt ourselves way too many times with penalties,” Callahan said. “On both sides of the ball, and in the kicking game, [the penalties] either dramatically changed field position, extended their drives and made it very difficult for some of our drives to get out of a big hole yardage wise.”

After Monmouth turned the ball over on downs with their first possession, failing on a fourth and three from the Robert Morris 28, the Colonials came out striking in their first possession of the game. They went 72 yards in eight plays, leading to a 19 yard touchdown catch by King to make it 7-0 Robert Morris with 5:46 left in the first quarter.

After a Monmouth punt, Monmouth cornerback Reggie Hildebrandt, Jr. recovered a fumble at the Robert Morris 27 yard line. Four plays later, Frazier found Mitchell Pollard for a six yard touchdown strike to make all tied up at seven with 29 seconds left in the first quarter.

The teams would trade field goals on their next two possessions, with Robert Morris cashing in on a 34 yarder from Greg Langer and Monmouth tying it up once again with a 29-yard kick from Spillane.

The next two possessions would see both teams turn it over. Robert Morris was first, with Deontae Howard coughing it up and Steve Barroso recovering it for Monmouth at midfield. But four plays later Frazier threw an interception to Alex Tarr that gave the Colonials the ball at their own 26 yard line.

The resulting drive ended without points, however, as Langer missed a 39 yard field goal. The half would end with the score tied at 10.