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Moon Township, Pa. - Junior Garrett Clawson (Duncansville, Pa. / Hollidaysburg) drilled three field goals and senior halfback Raphael Johnson (Clinton, Md. / Charles H. Flowers) posted his first career 100-yard rushing game as the Robert Morris University football team earned its second straight victory Saturday afternoon with a 9-7 win over Sacred Heart at Joe Walton Stadium.

The win improves the Colonials to 2-6 overall on the 2009 season, including 2-3 in the Northeast Conference, while the Pioneers fell to 1-7 overall and 1-5 in league action.

Clawson hit the first of his three field goals with just 1:10 to play before halftime, connecting from 23 yards out, to give RMU a 3-0 advantage.

Robert Morris racked up 144 yards of total offense in the first half but were able to muster just three points, while the Colonial defense held Sacred Heart to just two first downs and 40 total yards before halftime.

In the third quarter, Clawson drilled a 35-yard field goal at the 5:28 mark to increase RMU's lead to 6-0, and his second 35-yard field goal of the contest, this time with 7:17 to play, proved to be the difference.

The Pioneers finally got on the board with 5:28 remaining when Dale Fink connected with Steve Tedesco for a seven-yard touchdown pass to trim Sacred Heart's deficit to 9-7.

Robert Morris ran out the final 5:20 of action behind the wheels of Johnson, who rushed eight times for 47 yards in the fourth quarter alone. He started the final drive of the game with an eight-yard scamper and added his longest run of the afternoon, a 19-yard pickup, two plays later.

Fink was intercepted three times on the afternoon, as junior defensive lineman Chris Roberts (Bear, Del. / Caravel Academy), junior linebacker Elias Navarro (Fort Lauderdale, Fla. / South Plantation) and senior safety Michael Landers (Springdale, Pa. / Springdale) each recorded picks.  

Roberts came up with the first interception of the afternoon for the Colonials with an assist from senior linebacker Adam Lawrence (Big Run, Pa. / Dubois Area), who tipped a pass into the air before Roberts came down with the pick. Navarro and Landers each added interceptions in the second half for RMU. 

For the second time this season Clawson tied both a career high and an RMU single-game record with his three field goals. 

Johnson finished with 115 yards rushing on 27 carries, while freshman quarterback Jeff Sinclair (Natrona Heights, Pa. / Highlands) rushed 11 times for 40 yards and finished 8-for-14 passing for 39 yards and an interception.

Junior halfback Myles Russ (Boca Raton, Fla. / West Boca) was held out of the starting lineup due to an ankle injury and rushed five times for 28 yards in the first quarter before re-aggravating the injury and leaving the game.

Junior linebacker Alex DiMichele (Pittsburgh, Pa. / Sto-Rox) paced the Colonial defense with seven tackles, while freshman defensive lineman Nolan Nearhoof (Gibsonia, Pa. / Mars Area) and senior linebacker Ian Milanak (North Apollo, Pa. / Apollo Ridge) each finished with six takedowns.

The Colonials held Sacred Heart to 118 yards of total offense, including just one yard rushing.

Robert Morris takes to the road for its next contest, visiting Albany, N.Y., for a 1:00 p.m. kickoff against Albany at University Field Saturday, Nov. 7.