November 23
Football
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Cardinals Fall Short At IUP, 27-23

INDIANA, Pa.- The Saginaw Valley State University football saw its season come to a close after falling to Indiana (Pa.) 27-23 on Saturday (November 23) in the opening round of the NCAA Division II playoffs.
   Last year SVSU erased a 32-7 halftime deficit, resulting in a dramatic 33-32 victory and its first postseason win at the Division II level. This year the clock ran out on the Cardinals as they were driving late in the game. Running back Keath Bartynski (Saginaw, Mich./Nouvel CC) made a ten-yard reception to give the Cardinals a first down with what appeared to be a second left on the clock, but the officials ruled the clock had run out, along with the Cardinal's hopes of a comeback win.
    IUP opened the scoring with a 27 yard field goal from Josh Telenko, but junior Eric Houle (Flint, Mich./Kearsley HS) evened the score at three apiece on the first play of the second quarter by drilling a 35-yard field goal in to the wind. Telenko added another three points for the Indians, but SVSU countered when Mark Radlinski (Caledonia, Mich./Catholic Central HS) made a five-yard TD pass to Glenn Martinez (Auburndale, Fla.). The Cardinals pushed their advantage by adding another field goal with 28 seconds left in the first half, taking a 13-6 lead into the locker room.
    IUP stormed back in front 20-13 early in the second half with two Brian Eyerman TD passes, the first to LeRon McCoy and the a second to tight end Pat Liebert.
Senior Matt LaFleur (Mt. Pleasant, Mich.) tossed a pass up to Martinez, who out-leaped the IUP defensive back and scampered 58-yards for the touchdown, knotting the score at 20-20.
    IUP's Aaron Cochran put the Indians up seven on a 5 yard TD run with 13:34 left to play. SVSU cut the deficit to 27-23 on the ensuing possession, as Houle booted one just inside the left upright with 10:15 left to play. Pat Cavanaugh (Troy, Mich./Bishop Foley) kept the Cardinals hopes alive when he forced Justin Spence to fumble on the Cardinals one-yard line with under four minutes to play. However, SVSU ran out of time on its final possession inside the IUP 30-yard line, falling in a heartbreaking 27-24 defeat.
    The Cardinals close out the season at 9-3 (8-2 GLIAC), while IUP (11-1) moves on to face the other Northeast region winner, Grand Valley State (11-0, 9-0 GLIAC), in Allendale, Mich next Saturday (November 30).

Contact: Daniel Tata (989) 964-4933

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