Moon Township, Pa. – Khaamal Whitaker undercut an out-route, intercepted a pass and raced 46 yards to the end zone with 12 seconds left in the fourth quarter to give Sacred Heart a 21-14 win over Northeast Conference foe Robert Morris University Saturday afternoon at Joe Walton Stadium in Moon Township, Pa. A 6-0 contest after three quarters featured 29 fourth-quarter points in a game that lifted the Pioneers record to 3-4 and 1-1 in the NEC while the Colonials slip to 2-5 and 0-2 in league games.
 
RMU freshman kicker Nick Bisceglia hit field goals of 31 yards and 24 yards in the second quarter to finish a pair of 12-play drives that put the Colonials on top, 6-0, at halftime. The Pioneers had a chance to take the lead late in the first quarter, but a 21-yard field goal attempt by Josh Freiria was blocked by Drew Allen.
 
Jordan Meachum ended the Colonials hopes of a second shutout this season when he raced 14 yards around the left corner, capping a 10-play, 87-yard drive that put the visiting Pioneers on top, 7-6, early in the fourth quarter.
 
Sacred Heart's first lead was short-lived, however. Harrison Dreher took the ensuing kickoff at his own goal line and raced along the right sideline to pay dirt, tying the Colonials record with the 100-yard return. Jimmy Walker found Tim Vecchio in the right flat on the two-point conversion attempt to give Robert Morris the lead, 14-7, just 13 seconds after the Pioneers broke through.
 
Sacred Heart had the answer on the ensuing possession as Kevin Duke threw for 66 yards on three passes, the final 19 coming on a pass to Byron Barney that tied the game with 6:39 to play. The Pioneers got the ball back with 4:22 to play and drove from their own 20 to the Colonials 14-yard line. A 30-yard field goal attempt with 45 seconds to play sailed wide left and overtime looked imminent with the game knotted at 14-14.
 
Taking over at their own 20-yard line with 43 seconds left and no timeouts, the Colonials tried to pick their way along the sidelines to set up a game-winning field goal. Jimmy Walker completed passes to Vecchio and Eldin Anu before Whitaker picked off a pass intended for Vecchio along the right sideline.
 
Sacred Heart accumulated 213 of its 348 yards in the fourth quarter. Overall, the Pioneers had 159 yards on the ground and 189 through the air. Quarterback Kevin Duke went 15-24 for 189 yards and a score. His favorite target was Byron Barney who had nine catches for 135 yards. Jordan Meachum and Nate Chavious shouldered the majority of the running load with 67 and 60 yards each.
 
In addition to his 100-yard kickoff return, Dreher toted the rock 21 times for 53 yards. Walker connected on 18-of-36 attempts for 187 yards and a pair of picks. He spread the ball to eight receivers. Vecchio hauled in five passes for 30 yards while DeLano Madison had four catches and 60 yards.
 
Linebacker Adam Wollet had a career-best 16 tackles, the fifth most tackles in team history and puts him 12th in the single game record book (11 players have recorded 17 or more tackles). Joseph Uhatafe added 11 tackles, a sack and 3.0 tackles for loss.
 
Robert Morris makes the 95 mile trip to DeGol Field next Saturday, Oct. 28, for a Noon game against Saint Francis University.