Case Western Reserve University junior wide receiver Noah Coyne caught nine passes for 258 yards and three touchdowns, but it was not enough for the Spartans, as the team's late comeback attempt ultimately fell short in a 38-33 loss to Washington and Jefferson College in Washington, Pennsylvania on Saturday night.
The loss put an end to the Spartans' five-game winning streak, as the team fell to 6-2 overall. Washington and Jefferson improved to 6-2 with the victory.
Coyne finished with the second-most receiving yards in a single game in school history behind only a 281-yard effort by Colt Morgan against Saint Vincent in 2018. The 10 receptions and three receiving touchdowns were also career-best marks for Coyne. He now has 35 catches this season and surpassed his career highs with 748 receiving yards and eight touchdown catches during the game.
On a day when the Spartans were forced to throw often after falling behind early, senior quarterback Alex Fromberg registered a career-high 365 passing yards, matching the 14th-highest single-game total in program history. He completed 22-of-41 passes (53.7%) for three touchdowns with a pair of interceptions. Junior wide receiver Ethan Dahlem added 56 receiving yards on four catches, including a touchdown, and added a 37-yard touchdown pass on a trick play. Senior wide receiver Michael Wojkowski added five receptions for 60 yards in the game, and junior running back Gage Duesler led the team with 56 yards on the ground, including his fourth rushing touchdown of the campaign.
The Spartans were knocked back on their heels early after Washington and Jefferson reached the end zone on its opening drive of the game and added a touchdown later in the first quarter to take a 14-0 lead. CWRU responded with an eight-play, 82-yard drive, getting on the board with a six-yard touchdown pass from Fromberg to Coyne to cut the lead to 14-7 with 14:54 left in the half. However, the Presidents followed with a field goal and then returned a blocked punt for a touchdown to take a 24-7 lead on the Spartans.
CWRU cut into the Washington and Jefferson lead on its final drive of the half when Fromberg and Coyne connected for another score, this time from 23 yards out with 53 seconds remaining in the frame to head into the break trailing 24-14. On the Spartans' first drive of the second half, CWRU went 82 yards on 10 plays, scoring on a seven-yard pass from Fromberg to Dahlem to cut the Presidents' lead to 24-20 with 11:30 left in the third. However, Washington & Jefferson scored two unanswered touchdowns of their own to take an 18-point lead, 38-20, with 14:51 left in the game.
The Spartans would not go away quietly, responding with a quick scoring drive, going 58 yards on three plays in a minute and 11 seconds and scoring on a trick play when Dahlem found Coyne with a 37-yard touchdown pass to cut the lead to 38-26. CWRU continued to inch closer, pulling back within five points on a three-yard touchdown run by Duesler with 6:20 left in the game, following a drive during which Coyne caught three passes for 77 yards.
The Spartans had one final chance after the defense forced a Washington and Jefferson punt, giving CWRU the ball back at their own 15-yard line with 2:49 left to play, but could not capitalize, turning the ball over on downs and allowing the Presidents to run out the clock.
CWRU finished the game with a slight edge in total yards, 446-431.
CWRU will look to rebound next week when the team returns to DiSanto Field in Cleveland for its final home game of the season, hosting Allegheny College for a 2:00 p.m. kickoff. Saturday will also mark 'Senior Day' for the Spartans, who will honor the team's graduating players with a ceremony before the game.
Coyne’s Big Day Not Enough for Spartans in 38-33 Loss at Washington and Jefferson
/seasons/2023/boxscores/20231028_dz3z.xml
2023
Case Western Reserve
33
Washington and Jefferson
38
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | T |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Case Western Reserve (6-2) | 0 | 14 | 6 | 13 | 33 |
| Washington and Jefferson (6-2) | 14 | 10 | 7 | 7 | 38 |
Oct 28, 2023