Dayton, Ohio - Robert Morris University opened its 13th season of intercollegiate football Saturday afternoon with a 21-14 defeat to the Dayton Flyers at Welcome Stadium in Dayton, Ohio. The loss drops the Colonials to 0-1 to start the 2006 campaign and also dropped RMU to 8-5 all-time in season openers.

After a scoreless first quarter, Robert Morris cracked the scoreboard with a three-play, 35-yard drive that was capped by a 16-yard touchdown pass from sophomore quarterback Erik Cwalinski (Jacobsburg, Ohio / Shadyside) to senior tight end Jarvis Powers (Stafford, Va. / Brooke Point). The drive was set up by poor special teams from Dayton, as Derek Hall of the Flyers kicked only a 17-yard punt that went out of bounds at the UD 35-yard line, setting the Colonials up with great field position.

RMU stuffed Dayton on its next possession and the Colonials marched 87 yards on just four plays to score another touchdown and take a 14-0 advantage as Cwalinski hit junior flanker Mario Hines (Ecorse, Mich. / Ecorse) for a six-yard touchdown pass. A pair of long passes from Cwalinski during the drive aided Robert Morris, as his 46 yard completion to senior split end Michael Rogers (Duarte, Calif. / Citrus J.C.) on 1st-and-10 put the Colonials into Flyers territory, and his 43-yard strike to junior Alvin Hill (New Kensington, Pa. / Plum) gave RMU 1st-and-goal from the Dayton seven-yard line. In the first half Dayton couldn't get anything going offensively as Robert Morris did a good job of stopping the option and its secondary came through with solid coverage.

Dayton opened the second half by marching 59 yards down to the Colonial 17-yard line, but on 2nd-and-seven Flyer signal caller Kevin Hoyng threw an interception to junior James Kazil (Georgetown, Pa. / South Side), and RMU preserved its 14-0 lead. Robert Morris began to drive again, but Dayton answered with its own pick, as David Walbright intercepted Cwalinski at the Flyer 33-yard line to stall the Colonial drive.

Despite the interception, Dayton still couldn't move the ball, going three-and-out as the Robert Morris defense forced the Flyers to punt. On the ensuing punt, Hall's drifter to the UD 23-yard line hit Hines, and the Flyers recovered the ball. With new life, Dayton finally put points on the board, as Carlton McFadgen's 11-yard run on an end-around pulled the Flyers within 14-6 after the extra point hit the upright and fell short.

The Colonials were unable to move the ball on their next possession, and Dayton opened the fourth quarter with a 13-play, 46-yard drive that used almost six minutes of the clock and was capped by a one-yard touchdown run by Greg Wimberly. The Flyers were able to tie the score when Brandon Godsey got around the right end to convert the two-point conversion and settle the score at 14-14 with 8:50 to play.

On its next possession, RMU got a big completion from Cwalinski to Hill to keep the chains moving and put the ball at the Colonial 44-yard line, but the drive stalled, and Robert Morris was forced to punt and give the ball back to Dayton with 5:13 remaining in the game. The Flyers responded, as McFadgen, Ben Shappie and Godsey all picked up big yards on the ground to keep the chains moving and push into Colonial territory. Godsey capped the drive with a six-yard touchdown run with 1:37 to go to give Dayton a 21-14 advantage, its first lead of the game.

Hines would return the ensuing kickoff 30 yards to the Robert Morris 35-yard line, and on the first play of the drive Cwalinski hit Hines for an 18-yard completion to the Dayton 47-yard line. After a timeout, however, Cwalinski was picked off by Steve McDonald, helping seal the win for the Flyers.

Cwalinski, in his first opening-day start, finished 18-for-25 passing for 278 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions. He spread the ball around evenly all afternoon, hitting eight different receivers. Powers led the receiving corps with five catches for 79 yards and a score, while Hines finished with four receptions for 46 yards and a touchdown.

The Colonial defense, which came through with a solid performance, was led by senior linebacker Jeff Rommes (Gibsonia, Pa. / Deer Lakes), who posted a career-high 14 tackles, including 10 solo. Senior defensive lineman Ray Gensler (Pittsburgh, Pa. / Keystone Oaks) added six tackles and after registering only a half a sack in 2005 recorded three of Hoyng on the afternoon. 

Robert Morris will look to garner its first win of the 2006 season Saturday, Sept. 9, when it welcomes intra-city rival Duquesne to Joe Walton Stadium for a 1 p.m. kickoff.

Notes: Freshman running back Brian Harden (Sunrise, Fla. / Stranahan), just the second true freshman to garner a start at halfback in his first collegiate game at Robert Morris, finished the afternoon with 48 yards rushing on 17 carries ... The Colonials fell to 2-7 all-time against Dayton ... Robert Morris posted 374 yards of total offense on the afternoon compared to 305 for the Flyers ... RMU converted six of its 11 third downs and held Dayton to just three of 12 in the same category ... The Colonials finished with four sacks on the afternoon, as Rommes joined Gensler with his first of the year ... RMU's offensive line, with three new starters, did not allow a sack ... Kazil, junior linebacker Jordan Howard (Uniontown, Ohio / Lake) and senior Brian Pruitt (Steubenville, Ohio / Steubenville) each finished with eight tackles.