Indianapolis, Indiana - The Robert Morris University football team snapped a seven-game losing streak Saturday afternoon with a 35-14 victory on the road at Butler in Indianapolis, Indiana. The victory improves the Colonials to 1-2 overall on the 2006 campaign, while the Bulldogs fell to 1-2.

Turnovers, which have plagued RMU in the early portion of the season, continued to be a factor in the club's game against Butler. The Bulldogs got on the board first on the second possession of the afternoon for Robert Morris when senior fullback Vince Magnone (Weirton, W.Va. / Weir) fumbled at the Butler 34-yard line. Defensive back Collin McGann scooped up the loose ball and rumbled 66 yards to the end zone for the score, giving the Bulldogs a 7-0 advantage at the 9:44 mark of the first quarter. The fumble was caused by defensive lineman Richard Alcala of Butler, who put a solid hit on Magnone and popped the ball loose with his helmet.

The Colonials answered late in the first quarter, marching 78 yards on seven plays and knotting the score, 7-7, when sophomore quarterback Erik Cwalinski (Jacobsburg, Ohio / Shadyside) hit sophomore tight end Scott Schade (Rocky River, Ohio / Rocky River) in the end zone for a three-yard touchdown pass on third-and-goal. Cwalinski completed four of his five passing attempts during the drive for 51 yards, including a 23-yard completion to freshman halfback Brian Harden (Sunrise, Fla. / Stranahan).

RMU took its first lead of the afternoon when junior flanker Mario Hines (Ecorse, Mich. / Ecorse) hit pay dirt on a 14-yard end-around to make it 14-7 with 11:11 to play before the break. The drive was set up the Robert Morris defense, which held Butler to three-and-out deep in its own territory, then getting the ball back in great field position at the Bulldog 44-yard line.

The Colonial defense was in control all afternoon, continually putting pressure on Butler quarterback T.J. Brown and snuffing out any sort of running game the Bulldogs could muster. On the game Butler finished with -18 yards rushing and just 50 yards of total offense. Even still, the Bulldogs were able to enter halftime with the score tied, 14-14. Late in the second quarter Robert Morris was pinned deep in its own territory, but sophomore Michael Walser's (Thornville, Ohio / Sheridan) punt was blocked in the end zone and Derek North pounced on it for the Bulldog touchdown to tie the score.

After posting just three first downs in the first half, Butler opened the second half by picking up two first downs on its first possession, but again the RMU defense stiffened, forcing the Bulldogs to punt. The Colonials regained the lead on their second possession of the third quarter when Cwalinski hit senior running back Moises Hernandez (Miami, Fla. / LaSalle) in the flat for a four-yard touchdown pass to up Robert Morris to a 21-14 lead. RMU quickly stretched its lead to 28-14 when Hines scored his second touchdown of the afternoon, this one through the air as he and Cwalinski hooked up for a 38-yard touchdown pass at the 11:35 mark of the fourth quarter. On RMU's next possession Cwalinski again went to the air, hitting his fourth different receiver for a score on the afternoon by hooking up with junior flanker Alvin Hill (New Kensington, Pa. / Plum) for an 18-yard touchdown pass to give Robert Morris a 35-14 edge.

The Colonial defense did the rest, essentially pitching a shutout by not allowing a touchdown all afternoon. A huge defensive stand for RMU came in the third quarter. Faced with a fourth-and-one situation from its own 20-yard line, the Colonials faked a punt, but Walser did not gain enough for the first down and also got flagged for intentional grounding, giving Butler the ball back on the RMU 12-yard line. Two incomplete passes and a stuffed running attempt later, Butler was forced to attempt a 41-yard field goal after Brown was called for intentional grounding on third-and-10. Jordan Quiroz's attempt, however, was blocked by senior defensive lineman Colyn Haugh (Murrysville, Pa. / Franklin Regional), and the Colonials would get the ball back and march 76 yards for the eventual winning touchdown.

Cwalinski finished 18-for-26 passing for 240 yards and a career-high four touchdowns, connecting with eight different receivers on the afternoon. His favorite target was Hill, who just missed his first career 100-yard receiving game by finishing with six catches for 98 yards and a touchdown. Hines finished with three catches for 71 yards and racked up 147 all-purpose yards, while Hernandez finished as RMU's top rusher, gaining 50 yards on nine carries, an average of 5.6 yards a rush.

Robert Morris closes out its 2006 non-conference slate Saturday, Sept. 23, when it welcomes Division III foe Rowan to Joe Walton Stadium for a 1:00 p.m. tilt.

Notes: The victory for RMU also snapped an eight-game road losing skid and improved the club to a perfect 4-0 against Butler in the all-time series ... The Colonials have outscored the Bulldogs, 148-48, in the four games ... Senior defensive lineman Ray Gensler (Pittsburgh, Pa. / Keystone Oaks) posted a team-best six tackles for Robert Morris, including a sack to give him a team-high four and-a-half on the year ... The Colonial defense held Butler without a third-down conversion on the afternoon, as the Bulldogs went 0-for-9 ... While holding Butler to 50 yards of total offense, Robert Morris racked up 393 yards of total offense and converted eight of their 14 third-down attempts ... The Colonials scored touchdowns on each of their first four trips to the red zone and reached the Butler 20-yard line late in the fourth quarter before downing the ball to end the contest.