Moon Township, Pa. – The Robert Morris University football team and Alderson Broaddus did all of its scoring in the first quarter, but unfortunately for RMU, it was the Battlers who finished the quarter, and the game, en route to a 14-7 win over the Colonials at Joe Walton Stadium in Moon Township Thursday night. It was the season opening game for both teams.
 
Dante Satcher took the opening kickoff and raced down the right sideline 99 yards to give Robert Morris the lead just seven seconds into the game. The return was a school record, but that would be the last time RMU found the end zone.
 
"We lost the game because we didn't execute," said third-year RMU head coach John Banaszak. "We played with very little confidence up front. I guess when you start three freshmen on the line, you're going to have that. We couldn't make consistent plays or run the football and that's credit to their defense. They came off the ball and we didn't respond very well offensively. Defensively, we gave up a lot of yardage and made a lot of mistakes. Penalties killed us. All in all, it wasn't a very good performance by us."

 

The Colonials struggled offensively for much of the night, finishing with 149 total yards. Starting quarterback Luke Brumbaugh left the game in the second quarter, and Andrew Romanchak took over and finished 13-for-32 for 121 yards and one interception. Satcher had 62 yards of total offense, 42 on the ground and 20 receiving. He added 99 yards in kick returns to finish with 161 all-purpose yards.
 
"I feel like we had the roughest camp of any team in the nation, FCS, FBS, it doesn't matter. It's only the first game, but we expected more out of ourselves," said Satcher.
 
Both teams committed plenty of mistakes, RMU finishing with 14 penalties for 120 yards while ABU was whistled 13 times for 106 yards. The squads combined for six turnovers and two blocked kicks, as well.
 
Defensively, the Colonials played a bend but don't break game allowing 356 yards but limiting the Battlers to just two scores on six red zone possessions. They also accounted for four sacks, including two by freshman linebacker Gee Stanley. Stanley also tied with Steve Fiadewornu for a game-high nine tackles. The Battlers racked up seven sacks and 15 tackles for loss.
 
"I was hoping our special teams would perform in all phases of the game. We got off to a good start but we left nine points on the field. We've got fix that and fix that in a hurry," said Banaszak.
 
Alderson Broaddus tied the game on its second drive as they took over on the Robert Morris 45. A key fourth-and-7 conversion from Dakota Bruggeman to Cooper Schroeder went for 14 yards and set up ABU at the 12 yard line. Bruggeman then hit Edwin Velasquez in the left corner of the end zone on the next play.
 
Brumbaugh followed with an interception late in the opening quarter, giving the Battlers possession at the RMU 25. After a pair of four-yard gains, Bruggeman connected with Brandon Jones in the middle of the field, who then rambled 17 yards to put the visiting squad on top, 14-7.
 
An interception by Travon Stott early in the second quarter presented the Colonials with a chance to cut the lead as Romanchak came on with possession at the Alderson Broaddus 11-yard line. A false start penalty stalled the drive and then a 33-yard field goal attempt by Connor Shennan was blocked.
 
Again the defense was able to set the Colonials up in scoring position when Marcelis Branch intercepted a pass and returned it 15 yards to the Battlers 44 on the ensuing possession. RMU advanced the ball to the 25-yard line before the drive stalled. Shennan came on to attempt a 42-yard field goal and had plenty of leg but missed it wide left.
 
Robert Morris stopped the next four red zone possessions by Alderson Broaddus, keeping the game tight. The offense threatened again early in the fourth quarter, but another 33 yard field goal by Shennan was blocked, keeping it a seven-point margin. After a three and out by the Battlers, RMU took over at its own 34.
 
Romanchak completed passes to Warren Robinson and Satcher for 10 yards and a 15-yard personal foul on the defense moved the Colonials into ABU territory. Back-to-back rushes by Satcher covered a total of 24 yards and RMU was threatening at the 15-yard line. Three incomplete passes, however, left RMU facing fourth-and-10 with just over three minutes to play. A sack by Jeff Stephens and Paul Gabel on the crucial play ended the Colonials hopes of a comeback.
 
Brandon Jones rushed for 116 yards on 23 carries for ABU while Bruggeman went 12-24 passing for 129 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions.
 
Robert Morris returns to action Sept. 10 when it travels to Dayton University for a 1:00 p.m. game against the Flyers.