Fairfield, CT - The Club Football team escaped with a 14-12 victory over the Connecticut State Wildcats in what was the second consecutive year the teams went the distance for a wild finish. The Pioneers won the toss and deferred to the second half. After the kickoff, the Wildcats drove the length of the field before coming up short on 4th down in Pioneer territory. The Pioneers assumed the ball, and after a couple of big runs from Sophomore RB Marc Thermitus found themselves 1st and Goal from the 1 yard line. After a rush for no gain, the second down snap transition was out of sorts, and the ball was fumbled into the end zone, the Wildcats jumped on it and withstood the offensive push. Both teams put together semi-long drives and exchanged punts. The Wildcats had the ball to start the second quarter and moved their way to midfield. After a penalty, the Wildcats were facing a 3rd and 17 when their quarterback rolled out to his right and threw the ball up towards a teammate for the first down. That is when Freshman Linebacker Luke Janosko jumped up and intercepted it giving the Pioneers the ball back at their own 35 yard line.

The Pioneers punted away and the Wildcats took over, driving the length of the field before getting into the red zone. The Pioneers forced a 4th and 4 from the 9 yard line when the Wildcats QB threw the ball to the back of the end zone. The ball looked to have been caught in the back of the end zone but the receiver was out of bounds. The Pioneers got the ball back on their own 9 yard line and after a few penalties and a few yards gained, punted the ball back to the Wildcats. CSU drove the ball into the red zone again just before the half, when the Wildcat QB threw a jump ball to the corner of the end zone and that is where Sophomore Safety Mason Mesbah jumped up and intercepted the pass. His second interception in as many weeks. The Pioneers ran out the clock and the score entering halftime was 0-0.

The Pioneers received the ball to start the second half but had to punt the ball away to the Wildcats after their only 3 & out of the day. The Wildcats put a massive drive together after the punt, driving 79 yards in 9 plays when the Wildcats QB scrambled out of the pocket and found an open receiver in the back of the end zone. The Pioneers stopped their two point conversion after a muffed snap allowed the Pioneer defensive line to penetrate and make the tackle. The ensuing kickoff changed the momentum of the game, when Freshman Running Back Roberto DaCosta Jr received the kick, broke a few tackles down the left sideline and ran 76 yards to the end zone. The Pioneers went for 2 and were successful after Sophomore Quarterback Thomas Hurley found Mason Mesbah just over the goal line. The Wildcats got the ball back and went for it on 4th down. An overthrown pass gave the ball back to the Pioneers on downs.

The Pioneers took the ball over at their own 39 yard line and drove the ball inside the Wildcats 30 yard line before going for it on 4th down. Hurley scrambled out of the pocket to the left and was brought down behind the line of scrimmage. Wildcats took over on their own 39 yard line. After an incomplete pass to the sideline, the Wildcats QB threw the ball downfield where it was tipped and intercepted by Graduate Student Safety Chris Binkowitz who returned the ball to the Wildcats 40 yard line. A block in the back penalty pushed the ball back to the 50, where the Pioneers ran two quick running plays to get it to the Wildcat 44 yard line. Running back Marc Thermitus took it from there, breaking a tackle outside and flying down the right sideline for a 44 yard touchdown run - his 3rd touchdown of the season. The PAT was wide left and the score was 14-6.

Both teams exchanged punts before the Wildcats took a punt back to the Pioneers 40 yard line while adding a 15 yard penalty for a horse collar tackle. They went on to score several plays later after a couple of big runs, but were once again stopped on the 2 point conversion attempt. The ensuing onside kick went out of bounds and the Pioneers got the ball back. The Pioneers ran the clock down and punted the ball away, when there was a flag on the field for too many men by the Wildcats, which resulted in an automatic first down. The Pioneers went into victory formation and ran the clock out.

The Pioneers were to play this weekend at the University of Vermont, but the game was canceled/forfeited by UVM because of illness and injuries in a non-conference game. The Pioneers will face George Mason on Oct 1. at home this Saturday Night after the Division 1 football game.