Robert Morris Uses Fourth Quarter Defensive Touchdown to Beat Mercyhurst, Snaps Two-Game Losing Skid

Even after Robert Morris (4-4, 2-1 NEC) went up by two touchdowns with just over 14 minutes left in the game, and despite looking like the far better team all game through the eye test, it felt like Mercyhurst (1-7, 0-3 NEC) had the chance to pull itself right back into the game.

Once the Lakers got the ball back and moved right down the field to the Colonials’ 28-yard line in just four plays, that uneasy feeling grew larger for the RMU faithful. That was until cornerback Mekhi Kilburn quenched those feeling when he perfectly jumped a comeback route at the Colonials’ 11-yard line and returned it 89 yards for a touchdown.

Though Mercyhurst would answer back with a touchdown later in the fourth quarter, it was Kilburn’s pick six that helped Robert Morris snap its two-game losing streak and clinch the 28-14 victory at Joe Walton Stadium on Saturday evening.

Robert Morris returned a pair of key offensive players from injury on Saturday in running back Keino Fitzpatrick II and star wide receiver Galen Combs.

Both went onto make impacts in the game, but it was ole reliable wide receiver Jaqai Carter that helped the Colonials get off to a fast start against Mercyhurst as he capped off a quick opening drive with a 16-yard touchdown catch as he ran straight past his defender and caught quarterback Cason Haggard’s precise pass in the back corner of the endzone.

Then, just as fast things started, they slowed down, though most of it was the Colonials’ own doing. On three of their next four offensive drives, the Colonials had the ball past the midfield marker and in prime position to put points up on the board.

They failed to do so on each of those three drives as the Lakers managed to block a 23-yard field goal attempt, stuffed the running back on a fourth-and-one from at the 10-yard line and intercept a pass at their own 12.

Those three miscues kept Mercyhurst within striking distance. The Lakers finally struck later in the second quarter when former Mt. Lebanon, and current Mercyhurst, quarterback Alex Gevaudan uncorked a perfect deep pass to wide receiver Amare Lattimore for a 40-yard touchdown that tied the game up at 7-7.

Robert Morris quickly went three-and-out on the ensuing drive which gave Mercyhurst the opportunity to run the two-minute drill and take a lead before halftime.

After a couple of quick plus plays, the Lakers were nearing midfield with just under a minute left in the half but then the Colonials forced one of four Laker turnovers in the game as running back Ethen Knox was popped by a pair of defenders and fumbled the ball away. The turnover set up the Colonials at the plus-45 with 48 seconds remaining.

Haggard opened the drive with a 17-yard connection with Carter who also drew a face mask penalty as he was tackled out of bounds. The penalty yardage gave the Colonials the ball at the 14 but after a defensive holding on the very next play, the ball moved up to the 7-yard line.

Fitzpatrick left his mark on the win on the very next snap when he received the handoff and cut through the line for the go-ahead touchdown just 16 seconds after the Lakers’ costly fumble. Fitzpatrick’s first touchdown of the season gave Robert Morris a 14-7 lead at halftime.

Robert Morriss opened the third quarter on defense but quickly got the ball back to Haggard and the offense just three plays into the half as linebacker Jake Lopinto hauled in his second interception of the game on a tipped ball.

That was about all of the action that the third quarter had to offer as the score remained 14-7 heading into the fourth quarter though when the quarter changed, the Colonials were at the Lakers’ 35-yard line thanks to a trio of chunk plays from running back J’Karri Thomas.

The Colonials faced a 3rd-and-10 from the 35 after an incompletion and a zero-yard run, but that is when Combs reintroduced himself to the team as he streaked past the defense and ran under Haggard’s pass in the endzone for his sixth touchdown of the season which upped the lead to 21-7 with 14:13 left in the game.

Just when it appeared as if the Colonials grabbed complete control of the momentum, the Lakers got a huge 27-yard gain from Knox which set them up at the 28-yard line of Robert Morris which replaced the Colonials’ faithfuls cheers with the eerily familiar feeling of unease.

That is when Kilburn took matters into his own hands and jumped Gevaudan’s next pass and returned it 89 yards for the game-sealing touchdown.

Luckily for the Colonials, the pick six could not have come at a better time because Gevaudan found his groove on the ensuing drive and passed his way 90 yards down the field before capping the drive off with his second long touchdown connection with Lattimore.

While the Lakers chipped into the lead, it was too little, too late, as the Colonials only gave them one more possession which resulted in a turnover-on-downs with 1:10 left in the game.

Robert Morris is now set to hit the road for two-straight road games. The Colonials will take on the back-to-back reigning Northeast Conference champions, Central Connecticut State, next weekend before heading into town for a battle with Duquesne on November 7th.