Nov. 21, 2009

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PITTSBURGH - Bryant limited Duquesne to 133 yards in the second half in posting a 20-0 season-ending win over the Dukes at Rooney Field.

Duquesne finished with a 3-8 overall record, 2-6 in the Northeast Conference. Bryant ended its season at 4-7 overall and 4-4 in NEC play.

Bryant outgained the Duquesne 341-257 in shutting out the Dukes for the first time since a 24-0 loss at Albany in the 2002 ECAC Classic.

Kevin Rombach, who entered the game with four interceptions on the season, was picked off five times, including three on the Dukes' first four possessions.

Bryant was unable to capitalize on the early miscues, gaining just six yards on 12 plays in a scoreless first quarter.

Bryant's offense came to life early in the second quarter as the Bulldogs drove 65 yards only to be stopped on downs at the DU 22.

The Bulldogs had the best scoring chance of the scoreless first half, but Chris Bird's 35-yard field goal attempt hit the left upright with 1:19 left.

Bryant broke the scoring drought when Bird converted a 43-yard field goal with 7:41 to go in the third quarter. He added his second field goal of the quarter, a 36-yarder, with 3:46 to go to give the Bulldogs a 6-0 lead.

Rombach was picked off for the fourth time early in the fourth quarter by Michael Morgan who returned the ball 56 yards to the Duquesne 16. Michael Croce hit Matt Tracey with a touchdown pass on the next play to make it 13-0.

Rombach was picked off a fifth time, setting up a five-yard Lindsey Gamble touchdown with 2:19 left.

The Dukes drove to the Bryant one-yard line, looking to avoid the shutout, but Cleo Williams was hit hard on a dive play and fumbled. The ball was recovered by the Bulldogs.

Williams finished with 95 yards rushing in 17 carries in his final game.

Croce completed 18-of-35 passes for 208 yards for Bryant.

Scoring by Quarters

LEADERS
Rushing (Att./Yds./TD): DU - C.Williams (17-95-0); BU - Smith (23-96-0)
Passing (Att./Comp./Int./Yds./TD): DU - Rombach (22-9-5-90-0); BU - Croce (35-18-0-208-1)
Receiving (Att./Yds./TD): DU - Dixon (5-79-0); BU - Mastrino (4-87-0), Wilson (6-31-0)
Tackles (Tot./Solo): DU - Milhouse (15/7); BU - Whyte (9/3)

GAME NOTES
The last time Duquesne was shut out was in the ECAC Classic at Albany (24-0) on Nov. 23, 2002 ... senior quarterback Kevin Rombach (Harrisburg, Pa./Central Dauphin) completed 9-of-22 passes for 90 yards ... he finished his career as Duquesne's career completion percentage leader at .606 (347-of-573) ... the old career mark of .549 was set by Scott Knapp from 2005-07 ... Rombach's 33 career touchdown passes ranked tied for fifth and his 4,375 yards passing ranked fifth on DU's all-time lists ... junior defensive back Willie Milhouse (Waldorf, Md./Thomas Stone) finished with a game-high 15 tackles ... junior Connor Dixon (South Park, Pa./South Park) had five catches for 79 yards for the Dukes ... Dixon, a converted quarterback, had 22 catches for 333 yards in four games at receiver ... redshirt freshman Larry McCoy (Wytheville, Ga./George Wythe) finished the season with a team-best 807 yards on 160 rushes ... his eight touchdowns were also a team high.