BOXSCORE

Wilkes University fumbled the ball six times and lost all but one of them as Lebanon Valley took a 28-21 MAC win. If the Colonels were not turning the ball over, they were having a hard time bringing down Charlie Parker, who rushed for a school-record 267 yards on 44 carries. 

           
“There were so many momentum swings today and a lot of them didn't go our way because of the fumbles,” head coach Frank Sheptock said. “We were plus five in the turnover category. That is bad for a season let alone one game.” Four of the five fumbles by Wilkes led to scores for the Dutchmen. 

           
The Colonels looked to be in control early as Shawn Gregson (Dingmans Ferry, Pa./Delaware Valley) took the opening kickoff 48 yards to the LVC 32-yard line. Wilkes was able to drive the ball inside the five yard line before the Colonels fumbled the ball into the end zone where Jeff Ochoa picked up the ball for the touchback. 

           
The Dutchmen threatened on their opening possession, driving 69 yards to the Wilkes 11-yard line before Dan DiBona missed a 28-yard field goal. 

           
Lebanon Valley controlled the ball for most of the second quarter, allowing the Colonels just two possessions before the half. On its first possession of the quarter, a bad exchange from quarterback Rob Johnson (Bridgewater, N.J./Bridgewater-Raritan) and center Benjamin Webb (Shohola, Pa./Delaware Valley) cost the Colonels the ball as Will Keylor recovered the fumble at the Wilkes 37-yard line. 

           
It took the Dutchmen just one play to find the end zone when quarterback Caleb Fick found Joe Brennan for a touchdown strike to take the lead. Brittany Ryan converted the extra point to make it 7-0. 

           
It looked as if the Colonels were going to tie the game on the ensuing kickoff when Gregson broke loose to midfield. LVC kicker Dan DiBona was able to knock the ball out of Gregson's hands at the LVC 26-yard line where the Dutchmen took over once again on offense. 

           
The Dutchmen proceeded to drive 12 plays, covering 74 yards to take a 14-0 lead with 6:52 to go in the half. Fick found Matt Donley in the middle of the end zone for a five-yard strike for his second touchdown pass of the day. On the drive, Parker rushed nine times, including six in a row for 53 yards to set up the score. 

           
Lebanon Valley had 333 yards of rushing and 504 yards of total offense – the most given up by the Wilkes defense this season. 

           
On their opening drive in the third quarter, the Colonels marched 80 yards over 12 plays to cut the lead in half. Johnson found Rob Pietrucha (Hillsborough, N.J./Immaculatta) for his first touchdown reception of the season from four yards out. The touchdown was set up on a 37-yard pass play from Johnson to Jason Prushinksi that put the ball on the LVC three yard line. Johnson finished the day with 218 yards passing, completing 18-of-29 passes. 

           
The Colonel defense gave the team a spark when Darius Harrison (Morristown, N.J./Fork Union Mil. Academy) blocked a 22-yard field goal attempt by Matt Nawracaj to give Wilkes the ball back at its own five yard line. Unfortunately, two plays later, the Colonels fumbled once again, giving the Dutchmen the ball at the 12-yard line. On the second play of the drive, Parker found the end zone to make it 21-7. 

           
Wilkes answered late in the fourth quarter when Prushinksi was able to jump up and steal the ball from two LVC defenders in the end zone from 15-yards out. The Colonels traveled 76 yards on seven plays in just over two minutes. 

           
They had a chance to tie the game with less than five minutes to play when Lebanon Valley had to punt the ball after the Colonel defense held it to a three-and-out. Dutchmen punter Colt Zarilla punted the ball 25 yards to the Wilkes 32, but another fumble on the return proved costly as LVC was able to run out the clock. 

           
The loss moves the Colonels to 0-4 on the year, marking the worst start since the 1991 season. 

           
“It is not an effort problem for our football team. Until we learn not to beat ourselves, we will continue to struggle,” Sheptock said.

           
The Colonels will hit the road next weekend when they face FDU-Florham in Madison, N.J. at 1 p.m. Saturday