Cardinals fall at Bridgewater in final seconds
BRIDGEWATER, Va. – Bridgewater's Cliff Woodard caught a 15-yard touchdown pass with only five seconds remaining to lift the Eagles (6-4) to a dramatic 22-19 win over CUA on Saturday. The Cardinals had taken a 19-14 lead with 30 seconds to play, but were unable to hold on. CUA finishes the 2011 season with a record of 5-5.
Following a scoreless third quarter, the fourth quarter was jam packed with action. With CUA leading 14-13, Bridgewater went in front for the first time since the first quarter when Darrin McKenzie bolted 29 yards for a score. That put the Eagles in front 14-13 with 6:34 to play.
After the ball exchanged hands several times, CUA got the ball with 1:50 on the clock at its own 18-yard line. The Cardinals proceeded to go 82 yards in 10 plays, chewing 1:25 off the clock en route to a 37-yard touchdown pass from Greg Cordivari to Tucker Hubbell. CUA missed the ensuing two-point conversion, but still led 19-14.
Carlos Gonzalez then completed back-to-back passes of 16 and 17 yards to move the Eagles to the CUA 30, and following a personal foul on the Cardinals, BC moved all the way to the 15 with the clock inside 20 seconds. Gonzalez hit Woodard on the next play for the game-winning touchdown.
The Cardinals had one final chance but Mike McCarthy was tackled at the CUA 14 as time expired.
CUA finished with over 400 yards of total offense once again on Saturday, totaling 345 through the air and 63 on the ground. Cordivari completed 38 of 67 passes for 345 yards and a pair of scores, with the 67 attempts setting a new school record. It marks the second time this season Cordivari has that record.
Cordivari also went over the 3,000-yard mark for the season (3,282), becoming the first CUA signal caller since Keith Ricca in 2008 to accomplish the feat.
Mike Pitsenberger led CUA with 57 yards rushing and 11 receptions for 54 yards. Hubbell pulled down five passes for 74 yards and Wes Stringfield also caught five passes.
Anthony Carter rushed for a team-high 137 yards on 26 carries for Bridgewater, with McKenzie finishing with 74 yards on eight carries. Gonzalez completed 11 of 22 passes for 90 yards, five of which were caught by Cassidy Burns for 52 yards.
Defensively, James Fucillo registered eight tackles for CUA to go along with a forced fumble and fumble recovery, while Sean Pearson, Rob Schaetzl and Conor Stueckler finished with seven stops apiece. BC was led by Terrell Corley with nine tackles.
The Eagles scored first when Carter found the end zone from three yards out with 11:35 to play in the opening quarter.
CUA answered on its very next possession when the Cardinals went 78 yards in 11 plays, capped off by a Jeff Frusciante 20-yard touchdown reception to tie things at seven.
The Cardinals then went in front by six on the strength of two Brian Gongaware field goals, one from 29 and another from 27, and that is the way the score remained into halftime.
