Box Score

Moon Township, Pa. – A 75-yard touchdown drive late in the fourth quarter gave the Robert Morris University football team a chance to even the score, but the Colonials could not recover the ensuing onside kick as Dayton topped RMU, 21-14, in non-conference action on a crisp, sunny afternoon Saturday at Joe Walton Stadium.
 
Redshirt senior linebacker Mike Cook (Victoria, Minn. / Eden Prairie (Winona State)) nearly matched a single-game school record as he finished with a career-high 19 tackles. The 19 tackles, one shy of matching the record, are tied for the third-highest amount by a Colonial in a contest and are the most since current assistant coach Alex DiMichele notched 19 in 2010. It is Cook's seventh double-figure tackle effort and sixth in his last 12 games as he passed 150 career tackles on the day.
 
Redshirt senior linebacker Kyle Cooper (Hurricane, W.Va. / Hurricane) matched his career high of 12 tackles and added two quarterback hurries while junior defensive lineman Forrest Mason (Union Bridge, Md. / Hargrave Military Academy) notched a career-high nine tackles, including a half-sack.
 
Dayton, who has won seven of its last nine overall, received the opening kickoff and drove into Colonial territory. RMU appeared to have stopped the Flyers short on third down, but a penalty extended the drive and continued Dayton's momentum. On the very next play, the Flyers struck first with a 22-yard touchdown pass down the left sideline.
 
Each of the game's next three drives did not amount to significant yardage and resulted in punts. However, on the final one of those punts, the deep man for the Flyers muffed the catch and the ball squirted free. Junior linebacker Mike Stojkovic (Katy, Texas / North Texas) was all over it and jumped on the loose pigskin inside the red zone, recovering a fumble for the second straight week.
 
On the second play in the red zone, junior quarterback Paul Jones (McKees Rocks, Pa. / Penn State) hit senior tight end D.J. Pearson (New Brighton, Pa. / New Brighton) in the back left corner of the end zone for a 16-yard touchdown pass.
 
The teams combined for just 34 yards on each of the next four drives, and all of them resulted in a punt.
 
Dayton then went on a sustained drive, but the Colonials kept them from getting points despite reaching the red zone. Facing a fourth-and-one from the 5-yard line, Dayton looked to draw the Colonials offside, but the RMU defensive line did not budge. The Flyers then elected to go for a field goal, but a poor snap left Dayton looking to throw instead. However, redshirt senior A.J. Holderman (Chagrin Falls, Ohio / Kenston) batted down the attempted pass to prevent a touchdown.
 
RMU would run out the limited remaining time before the half, sending the game to intermission at 7-7.
 
Neither team could generate much offensively in the first half of the third quarter. RMU had 30 yards and two first downs on its first three drives of the half while Dayton netted zero first downs and just two yards of offense on its first three possessions.
 
After a Colonial interception, Dayton had a chance to take the lead but missed the field goal.
 
RMU drove 47 yards into Dayton territory on its next drive before a sack killed the momentum and forced a punt, which came on the first play of the fourth quarter.
 
Dayton would take the lead on its next possession, using two long passes, including a 41-yard touchdown strike, to pull ahead, 14-7.
 
What appeared to be a promising return on the ensuing kickoff for Robert Morris soon turned into a nightmare for the hosts when the ball popped free and the Flyers recovered. Dayton would use the short field, driving just 39 yards, to double its lead.
 
After a Colonial punt, the RMU defense came up with a big stop to keep the Colonials' slim chances alive when they stopped Dayton on a fourth-down attempt.
 
RMU then drove 75 yards on just five plays. A 22-yard pass to sophomore Kenny Davis (Cincinnati, Ohio / Walnut Hills) moved the ball to near midfield. Four plays later, Jones hit junior Duane Mitchell (Monroe Falls, Ohio / Stow), who had beaten the defense down the right sideline, for a 40-yard touchdown, the longest pass of Jones' young career.
 
RMU then tried an onside kick to regain possession but did not recover it, and the Flyers were able to run out the clock.
 
Junior Hunter Khaleghi (San Diego, Calif. / La Jolla Country Day) made his first collegiate appearance and was 2-for-2 on point after attempts. Junior Tony LaMancusa (Webster, N.Y. / Webster) tied his career high with three punts downed inside the 20-yard line.
 
Each of Mitchell's last five touchdown catches has been at least 35 yards in length. Pearson now has two career receptions, both of which have been touchdowns.
 
RMU, which was playing its 200th game in program history, fell to 13-9 all-time when tied at the half.

The Colonials will enjoy a bye next week before beginning a two-game road trip the following Saturday, Sept. 28, at VMI.