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November 8, 2008

Van Zanic                                                                                                                                

Director of Sports Information

(724) 847-6886

vgzanic@geneva.edu

NEWS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

November 8, 2008

CONFERENCE CHAMPS DROPPED BY GENEVA,

GOLDEN TORNADOES BEAT THOMAS MORE

Beaver Falls, PA – What a difference a month makes? After starting the season with a record of 1-5, Geneva College has reeled off three consecutive victories including a 17-13 victory over the Presidents’ Athletic Conference champion Thomas More College. The Golden Tornadoes improved to 4-5 while the Saints saw their seven game win streak come to an end and dropped to 7-2 on the year.

For the third straight game it was Geneva’s running game on offense that made the difference. The Golden Tornadoes rushed for 235 yards on 61 carries. Gerard Muschette led the ground attack with 98 yards, while teammates Matt Dean (84 yds) and Matt Barge (54 yds) each were solid in the backfield. Sophomore quarterback David Girardi completed 9-17 passes for 98 yards in the victory.

Thomas More, which came into the contest averaging almost 35 points per game, was held to just 267 total yards. Trevor Stellman completed 13-24 passes for 157 yards and a touchdown.

Geneva took the opening kickoff and drove and went 77 yards on 14 carries to open the scoring. Matt Dean plunged into the end zone from one yard out to put the Golden Tornadoes on the board. A 28 yard Nick DiPietro field goal early in the second quarter was all the scoring for the first half.

Thomas More took advantage of a Geneva fumble and scored on a 14 yard hook-up from Stellman to Nick Dew in the final two minutes of the third quarter. Geneva quickly responded with a six play, 66 yard drive to extend the lead to 17-7. The Saints got back into the contest after Anthony Knott scored on a 38 yard run with 5:47 remaining the game. Geneva’s defense would not allow the Saints to challenge the rest of the way and the Golden Tornadoes won for the third straight game.

Geneva’s defense was a well-balanced machine with Derek McElhaney, Javon Moody and Adam Rose all accounting for eight tackles each. McElhaney came up with an interception on Thomas More’s last ditch offensive effort to put the game away. Brian Wilson forced a pair of fumbles and also recovered a fumble as Geneva forced a pair of Saint turnovers in the game.

Geneva will close out the 2008 season with a chance to reach the .500 mark when it welcomes Westminster College to Reeves Field next Saturday afternoon at 1:30 pm.