DEFIANCE 14, CASE 13 ...
CLEVELAND, OH (October 1, 2005) - The Case Western Reserve Spartans suffered a heartbreaking 14-13 loss to Defiance College in the first ever night game at Case Field. The Spartans battled back from a 14-7 deficit to score a touchdown with 4:07 remaining in the game. The ensuing extra point attempt failed and Defiance hung on for the 14-13 victory.
The Spartans got on the scoreboard first as Angelo Mirando (Jefferson, OH) plowed in from one yard out to put Case up 6-0. Joe Brenner (Lititz, PA) added the extra point to give Case the 7-0 lead after just one possession. From then on, the Case offense battled relentlessly against a stingy Defiance defense. The Yellow Jackets held the Spartan offense to just 194 total yards on the game.
Defiance freshman backup quarterback Hans Vetter (Toledo, OH) entered the game in the second quarter sparking the Yellow Jacket offense. With 2:27 to play in the half, Vetter plunged into the end zone from a yard out and with a Keith Wilson (Indianapolis, IN) extra point, Defiance tied the game 7-7. On the following possession, Case turned the ball over on downs at the Defiance College 49 yard line with 57 seconds to play. The Yellow Jackets then went on top 13-6 when Vetter hit wide receiver Luke Dillon (Temperance, MI) for a 44-yard touchdown pass with 33 seconds remaining. A Wilson extra point kick then put Defiance up 14-7 at the half.
The score would remain 14-7 until late in the fourth quarter with a Spartan resurgence. Case drove the ball to the Defiance 38 yard line before turning the ball over on downs. On the very next play, Case sophomore defensive back John Tiemeier (Cincinnati, OH) made a crucial interception of a Vetter pass at the Defiance 44 yard line. Case then marched the ball down and Mirando hit Matt Skolnicki (Lorain, OH) for a three-yard touchdown pass cutting the Defiance lead to just one point. Brenner then missed the following extra point, sending it low under the crossbar.
The Spartans weren't finished yet however as the Yellow Jackets turned the ball over on downs on the Defiance 40 yard line with one second to play. An Angelo Mirando last-ditch attempt at the end zone fell incomplete, sending Defiance to the 14-13 win. The Yellow Jackets evened their record at 2-2 while Case fell to 3-2 overall.
Offensively, Mirando led the way completing 14 of 24 passes for 124 yards and one touchdown. James Rosenbury (Draper, UT) was the leading Spartan rusher with 13 carries for 37 yards. Jake Shank (Northwood, OH) led the Yellow Jackets with 10 rushes for 44 yards. Marshaun Minter (South Euclid, OH) was the top Case receiver with five catches for 58 yards, while Dillon led Defiance with five grabs for 115 yards and one touchdown.
The Spartan defense was anchored by Nick Decesare (Westlake , OH) with 17 total tackles. Case recorded two sacks while the Defiance defense sacked Spartan quarterbacks six times in the contest. Kris Zajac (Grosse Ilse, MI) was the top Yellow Jacket defender with eight tackles.
Case will rest up next weekend, then return to action for Homecoming on Saturday, October 15 when they host Washington University in a 12:00 p.m. game.
Box Score
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