Annville, Pa. – Cold rain, wind, and sloppy field conditions dictated an ad-libbed style of play throughout the contest as Lycoming squeezed out a 7-6 victory over Lebanon Valley College in Annville, Pa.  The Warriors improve to 3-4 overall, 2-4 in the MAC, and a perfect 21-0 all-time against the Flying Dutchmen.

Turnovers and a lack of execution on special teams accounted for all 13 points and also the lack of scoring when considering the Lebanon Valley kicking game.  LVC place-kicker Edlin Brodlic missed an extra point and the would-be game-winning field goal in the final minutes.

The field conditions called for perfect execution and concentration in the running game, but neither offense could completely get on track.  Lycoming managed a meager 43 yards on the ground in the first half and had only 68 after three quarters.  But down the stretch in the final 15 minutes of play, the Warrior running game churned out 49 yards on the ground in the quarter (for 117 yards total for the game) and drained 7:04 off the clock on their penultimate drive.

The teams combined for only 442 yards of total offense compared to 558 yards on 15 total punts between the two teams.

The weather had a distinct effect on quarterback Glenn Smith’s (Watsontown, Pa./Warrior Run) productivity as the reigning MAC Offensive Player of the Week went six of 17 for 61 yards and an interception, a far cry from his 24 for 32, 251-yard, two-touchdown showing against Ithaca last week.

Lebanon Valley took advantage of the first mistake of the game to earn a 6-0 lead early in the second quarter.  A few plays after Smith fumbled on a quarterback keeper, Dutchmen quarterback Dan Kelly scampered up the middle 15 yards for the first touchdown of the game.  Brodlic missed the point-after attempt wide which later proved to be the deciding margin.

Lycoming nearly coughed up the ball in its own territory a second time on an LVC punt, but returner Matt Murdock (Elysburg, Pa./Southern Columbia) was able to cover up the pigskin after it had eluded his grasp.

Murdock made up for the near mistake with the play of the game on the Dutchmen’s next drive.  Warrior defensive lineman Dave VanNort (Montrose, Pa./Montrose) came up with another big forced fumble, this time on running back Dave Holland.  Murdock scooped it up and darted 31 yards for the score and a 7-6 lead after kicker Mike Monastra (Havertown, Pa./Haverford) left all memories of last week behind and converted the extra point attempt.

The squad’s traded unproductive drives at the beginning of the second half, but a short punt from Lycoming’s own end zone gave LVC the ball at the Warrior 46-yard line with less than five minutes remaining in the third quarter.  Lycoming’s defense held strong, forcing the Dutchmen to surrender the ball on downs at the 29-yard line.  Linebacker Kevin LeSage (Darby, Pa./Monsignor Bonner) made the drive-ending tackle on an inside shovel-pass by the Lebanon Valley offense.

Lycoming seemed to gain some momentum as the ensuing drive reached midfield, but Smith over-threw receiver Tim Brown (Liverpool, N.Y./Christian Brothers Acad.) and was intercepted by defensive back Joey Venezia.  He returned the effort to the LVC 43-yard line.

Warrior defensive back Jim Smith (Williamsport, Pa./Williamsport) regained control as he followed suit and intercepted Kelly at the Lycoming 35-yard line to start the fourth quarter.

The Warrior running game made good use of the turnover, chewing up clock and driving into the LVC red zone for the first time.  The combination of Brandon Traugh (Catawissa, Pa./Southern Columbia) and Jim Laky (North Wales, Pa./North Penn) milked 7:04 off the clock until the drive stalled resulting in a turnover on downs at the 10-yard line.

After a pair of unproductive drives, one by each team, Clint Vinju returned the eighth punt by Tim Eskridge (Havertown, Pa./Haverford) to the LVC 48-yard line.

On the first play of the drive, Kelly found receiver Adam Brossman down the near sideline for 42 yards to the Lycoming 11-yard line.  The Warrior defense stiffened thereafter, forcing the Dutchmen into a field goal try.  Kicker Edlin Brodlic missed his second kick of the game, this one a 21-yard try, giving Lycoming the ball with 1:23 remaining in the game.

The hearts of the blue and gold faithful skipped a beat as Smith fumbled the snap on the last play of the game, but Traugh alertly fell on it to preserve the victory.

Lycoming is next in action on Saturday, October 29, as Moravian travels to Williamsport for a MAC showdown.  Kickoff is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. at David Person Field.