Latrobe, PA - The mark of a good team is one that can respond from adversity. Geneva College head football coach Geno DeMarco preaches that very message to the Golden Tornadoes every week. On Saturday, DeMarco′s words became prophetic as Geneva came back four times against Saint Vincent College and walked out of Latrobe with a 27-23 victory. The win pushed Geneva′s overall record to 3-2 including a perfect 3-0 mark on the road.
Saint Vincent had four separate first half leads, but Geneva responded each time with a score of its own. Neither team got on the board in the second half as both defenses took over following an explosive offensive first half. Following a Saint Vincent touchdown early in the first quarter, the Golden Tornadoes came back with a quick three play drive that culminated with a one yard plunge from Gerard Muschette. After Saint Vincent retook the lead on a field goal, Geneva grabbed its first lead of the game on a Corey O′Patchen nine yard touchdown from David Girardi. The extra point was blocked and Geneva held a short-lived 13-10 lead.
Midway through the second quarter, Saint Vincent got into the end zone to retake the lead, but it was Muschette again from seven yards out to cap a seven play, 51 yard drive with just less than three minutes remaining in the second quarter. Saint Vincent thought it had secured a lead heading into the locker room on a 42 yard hook-up with just 19 seconds remaining in the second quarter. Girardi and O′Patchen had different ideas as the duo hooked up for the seventh time this year from 53 yards out with only one second remaining in the half. That long distance score proved to be the game winner as neither team could score in the second half.
Muschette again eclipsed the 100 yard mark with 106 yards on 22 carries. Saint Vincent did most of its offensive damage on the ground as Mike Kale toted the ball for 102 yards on 20 carries. Through the air, Girardi completed 20-32 passes for 261 yards and a pair of touchdowns. O′Patchen pulled in six catches for 144 yards on the day.
Gary Walstom led the Geneva defense with 12 tackles while teammate Marcus Costanza came up with ten tackles in the game.
The Bearcats missed on a pair of second half fields which could have made a difference, but Geneva′s defense came up big when it had to in the second half.
Geneva returns home next Saturday for a homecoming match-up with Waynesburg beginning at 4 pm.
Geneva College is a comprehensive Christian college of the arts, sciences and professional studies. Founded in the tradition of the Reformed Christian faith, Geneva prepares students to serve Christ in all areas of society: work, family and the church. Geneva College′s philosophy of education is based on the Foundational Concepts of Christian Higher Education. Geneva is a founding member of the Council for Christian Colleges & Universities (CCCU).
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