Moon Township, Pa. - Scott Horcher picked off Robert Morris University junior quarterback Erik Cwalinski (Jacobsburg, Ohio / Shadyside) and returned it 27 yards for a touchdown with 7:40 remaining to help the Dayton Flyers down the Colonials, 23-12, in the 2007 season opener for both clubs Saturday at Joe Walton Stadium.  

Robert Morris (0-1) had pulled to within four, 16-12, after a two-yard touchdown run from senior fullback Rion Listhrop (Miami, Fla. / Felix Varela) with 10:02 to play, and the Colonial defense held firm on Dayton's (1-0) next possession, holding the Flyers to one first down before forcing a punt. RMU got the ball back at its own 20-yard line, but on the first play Cwalinski was intercepted by Horcher, who scampered 27 yards to the end zone for the final score of the afternoon. 

Dayton opened the game's scoring with a seven-play, 74-yard drive that was capped by a one-yard touchdown plunge from Flyer signal caller Kevin Hoyng at the 5:38 mark of the first quarter. The Colonials responded when Cwalinski hit senior flanker Mario Hines (Ecorse, Mich. / Ecrose) on a slant, and Hines raced 62 yards to the end zone untouched to pull RMU within one, 7-6. However, the extra point attempt from junior Michael Walser (Thornville, Ohio / Sheridan) was off the mark, keeping the RMU deficit at one. The rest of the scoring in the first half came courtesy of Matt Swartz, who kicked a trio of field goals to up the Dayton lead to 10 at halftime, 16-6. Swartz connected from 35, 27 and 40 yards out in the second quarter. 

The Colonials tried to climb within a touchdown in the third quarter, but Walser's 38-yard field goal was wide left, and their deficit remained 10 entering the fourth quarter. Cwalinski then engineered a 15-play, 88-yard drive that was capped by Listhrop's two-yard touchdown plunge, but again Walser missed the extra point, keeping it a two-possession game. Cwalinski was 6-for-12 passing during the drive, including a 14-yard completion to Hines that gave RMU 1st-and-goal at the Flyer 10-yard line. Dayton helped seal the victory in the fourth quarter with Horcher's interception and a Cwalinski fumble with less than three minutes to play.  

Hoyng completed 14 of his 36 passing attempts for 120 yards and also rushed for 73 yards and a score, while Cwalinski finished 18-for-39 for 236 yards, a touchdown and an interception. Hines finished with three catches for 85 yards and a touchdown, while junior tight end Regis Flowers (Irwin, Pa. / Norwin) caught four passes for 49 yards and senior split end Alvin Hill (New Kensington, Pa. / Plum) four balls for 37 yards. 

Pacing the Colonial defense was senior safety Jonathan Robinson (Orlando, Fla. / William R. Boone), who posted 11 tackles, while senior middle linebacker Jordan Howard (Uniontown, Ohio / Lake) and senior safety James Kazil (Georgetown, Pa. / South Side) each finished with nine stops.  

Robert Morris is next in action Saturday, Sept. 8, when it travels to West Long Branch, N.J., to open Northeast Conference action with a 1:00 p.m. tilt against defending NEC champion Monmouth at Kessler Field.