Fairfield, Conn. - The Robert Morris University football team dropped its fourth straight game Saturday afternoon, suffering a 31-28 setback to Sacred Heart at Campus Field. The loss drops the Colonials to 1-4 overall on the 2008 campaign, including 0-2 in Northeast Conference play, while the Pioneers improved to 5-0 overall and 2-0 against league opposition.    

RMU won the opening coin toss and decided to defer to the second half, and Sacred Heart used a 10-play, 66-yard drive to take an early 7-0 lead when Evin Jones scored on a one-yard touchdown run.

Robert Morris came back to tie it, 7-7, when senior quarterback Erik Cwalinski (Jacobsburg, Ohio / Shadyside) connected with freshman Shadrae King (McKeesport, Pa. / McKeesport) for a 28-yard touchdown pass with 48 seconds to go in the first quarter.

The score remained tied until the 5:15 mark of the second quarter, when Pioneer quarterback Dale Fink hit Steve Tedesco with a four-yard touchdown pass on a fade pattern to increase SHU's lead to 14-7. The play was set up by a Colonial fumble on special teams, as freshman James O'Quinn (Vandergrift, Pa. / Kiski Area) muffed a punt, with Stephen Gerhard coming up with the loose ball for Sacred Heart at the RMU 21-yard line.   

Down by a score coming out of halftime, Robert Morris showed some fire offensively, marching 78 yards on eight plays as Cwalinski capped the drive with a four-yard touchdown pass to O'Quinn. However, the extra point attempt was muffed, and the Colonials remained down by one, 14-13. Sophomore halfback Myles Russ (Boca Raton, Fla. / West Boca) ran the ball four times during the drive for 38 yards, including a 19-yard scamper to open the second half.    

Despite the score, the Pioneers answered when Brian Friedman connected with Tedesco for a 25-yard touchdown on a halfback pass. RMU returned the favor on its next possession when senior Jesse Kastelic (Enola, Pa. / East Pennsboro) scored on a two-yard touchdown run at the 3:27 mark of the third quarter. Russ added the two-point conversion to knot the score, 21-21. Cwalinski was 3-for-5 passing for 47 yards during the drive, including a 19-yard strike to senior Chris Kozak (Pittsburgh, Pa. / Baldwin) and an 18-yard completion to sophomore T.J. Green (Stamford, Conn. / Milford Academy).    

The back-and-forth affair continued, as Sacred Heart took a 28-21 lead on its next possession when Chris Rapp hauled in a five-yard touchdown pass from Fink with 14:53 remaining. The Pioneers tacked on what prove to be the game-winning points when Joe Schroeder connected on a 35-yard field goal with 5:52 to play to give SHU a 31-21 advantage.

Cwalinski helped the Colonials climb back within three, 31-28, by engineering an eight-play, 86-yard drive that was capped by a five-yard touchdown run by senior Karey Murray (New Brighton, Pa. / New Brighton), but the Pioneers ran the clock out to preserve the win.

Jones rushed for 187 yards and a touchdown on 33 carries to lead the Sacred Heart ground game, while Russ posted his second straight 100-yard rushing performance with 126 yards on 16 attempts, an average of 7.9 yards a rush. Cwalinski finished 19-for-31 passing for 260 yards, a pair of touchdowns and an interception, while Fink completed 17 of his 25 passing attempts for 143 yards, two scores and a pick.

Green led the Colonials with a career-high seven catches for 90 yards, while O'Quinn finished with three catches for 62 yards and a score. Defensively, sophomore safety Michael Landers (Springdale, Pa. / Springdale) finished with 10 tackles, including five solo stops.  

Robert Morris returns home to Joe Walton Stadium Saturday, Oct. 11, to host Duquesne in a noon game that will be broadcast live on FSN Pittsburgh. It is part of 2008 Homecoming festivities at the University.