Pittsburgh, Pa. - The Robert Morris University football team lost its fourth straight game Saturday with a 17-14 defeat to crosstown rival Duquesne in a non-conference game at Rooney Field. The defeat drops the Colonials to 3-5 overall, while the Dukes improved to 5-2.

Down, 10-0, heading into the second half, RMU finally seemed to get on track offensively, pulling within three, 10-7, thanks to a seven-play, 76-yard drive that was capped by a 22-yard run from freshman halfback Myles Russ (Boca Raton, Fla. / West Boca). Russ carried three times for 32 yards during the drive, while junior quarterback Erik Cwalinski (Jacobsburg, Ohio / Shadyside) finished 3-for-3 passing for 44 yards, including a 24-yard strike to junior tight end Regis Flowers (Irwin, Pa. / Norwin).  

Despite the touchdown, the Dukes answered with a drive of their own to push their advantage back to double digits, 17-7, when Kevin Rombach connected with Bruce Hocker for a 15-yard touchdown pass. The big play of the drive was a personal foul penalty on junior defensive lineman Shannon Smoot (Columbus, Ohio / Bishop Hartley), as the infraction gave Duquesne a 1st-and-10 at the Colonial 23-yard line. Two plays later Rombach hooked up with Hocker for the score. Robert Morris came right back to trim its deficit to three again, 17-14, when Cwalinski found senior flanker Julian Ellison (Pittsburgh, Pa. / Carrick) in the end zone for a 32-yard touchdown pass. The play capped a nine-play, 78-yard drive that saw Cwalinski complete all four of his passes for 62 yards, while Russ posted 18 yards rushing on three carries.  

On Duquesne's next drive, senior linebacker Chad Wengert (Kempton, Pa. / Kutztown) forced a fumble by Rombach, and Smoot came up with the loose ball to give possession back to the Colonials at the 26-yard line of the Dukes. Robert Morris reached the Duquesne 11-yard line thanks to three straight running plays by Russ, but on 3rd-and-4 sophomore tight end Chris Molnar (Murrysville, Pa. / Franklin Regional) was tagged with a personal foul, pushing the ball back to the Duquesne 20-yard line. On the next play Cwalinski was thrown for a nine-yard loss by Travis Decker, forcing a 4th-and-28. Instead of a 45-yard field goal attempt into a stiff wind, the Colonials went for it, but Cwalinski's pass was intercepted in the end zone by Paul Mulbah.

The Dukes began to run the ball after getting possession back with 8:38 to play, but the RMU defense stiffened, forcing a David Kovalcik punt that went out of the end zone for a touchback. Faced with a 2nd-and-6 at the Colonial 24-yard line, Cwalinski's pass intended for Ellison was long, and Randall Norton came up with the interception to put possession back in favor of Duquesne. Again the Robert Morris defense held firm, forcing a punt with under two minutes to play, but on the kick sophomore Ian Milanak (North Apollo, Pa. / Apollo Ridge) was called for roughing the kicker. Duquesne got the ball back with a first down and ran out the clock to end the game.

In the first quarter Duquesne jumped out to a 10-0 lead on its first two offensive possessions, as Rombach hooked up with Hocker for a nine-yard touchdown pass with 9:38 to go in the first quarter to give the Dukes a 7-0 edge, while Mark Troyan connected on a 23-yard field goal at the 3:07 mark to up the Duquesne advantage to 10-0. The Robert Morris defense stiffened after the first two drives by the Dukes, as while Rombach completed seven of his first 10 passing attempts for 113 yards, he finished 14-for-22 for 134 yards the rest of the contest.

Cwalinski finished 14-for-26 passing for 156 yards, a touchdown and two interceptions on the afternoon, while Rombach completed 21 of his 32 attempts for 247 yards and two scores. Cwalinski was sacked twice, while Rombach suffered four sacks. Russ paced the Colonial ground game, eclipsing the 100-yard plateau for the first time in an RMU uniform by finishing with 25 attempts for 116 yards and a touchdown. Ellison was Cwalinski's favorite target, catching four balls for 67 yards and a touchdown, while Hocker caught seven passes for 68 yards and two scores for the Dukes.

The Colonial defense was paced by Wengert, who posted 17 tackles, including two sacks, and also recorded a forced fumble, pass breakup and two quarterback hurries. Sophomore safety Michael Landers (Springdale, Pa. / Springdale) notched a career-high 14 takedowns, while senior linebacker Jordan Howard (Uniontown, Ohio / Lake) contributed 13 stops.

Robert Morris now has a week off before closing out its three-game road trip by visiting Albany Saturday, Nov. 3, for a 1:00 p.m. Northeast Conference tilt. The Colonials close out the season Saturday, Nov. 10, by hosting Sacred Heart at Joe Walton Stadium.