SELINSGROVE, Pa. --- Freshman wide receiver Jalen Snyder-Scipio caught his first two career touchdown passes in the final 3:44 but they weren't enough as the Moravian College football team dropped a 27-17 Centennial Conference game at Susquehanna University on an overcast and rainy Saturday afternoon.
Snyder-Scipio had touchdown catches of 13 and 26 yards from senior quarterback Robbie Moyer as the Greyhounds tried to rally from a 27-3 deficit, and Snyder-Scipio had seven catches for 116 yards in the game while Moyer completed 14-of-26 passes for 161 yards with two touchdowns, and he added 20 yards on 18 carries.
"I think Jalen has been playing well for a couple of weeks," stated Head Coach Jeff Pukszyn. "We just need to find ways to get him the ball. The way we executed in the fourth quarter is the way we need to come out in the first quarter next week."
The Crusaders scored first on a 29-yard field goal by Spencer Hotaling, and a one-yard touchdown run by quarterback Mark Rosenbaum put Susquehanna ahead 10-0 with 1:46 left in the opening quarter.
The Greyhounds got on the scoreboard with 9:50 remaining in the first half when freshman kicker David Fiumara connected on a 20-yard field goal, his second of the season.
On their next drive, the Crusaders looked to be heading into the end zone to extend their lead when Moravian junior linebacker Kevin Bracken stepped in front of a Rosenbaum pass in the end zone for his second interception of the year.
"Kevin came up with a huge pick at a crucial time," Pukszyn said. "He read the play and came out of his drop to make the pick. He is a big time leader for this team, and he is doing a phenomenal job leading the defense this season."
Susquehanna would get three more points with two seconds left before halftime on a 32-yard field goal by Hotaling to send the Crusaders to the locker room with a 13-3 lead.
Moravian received the opening kickoff of the second half and drove down to the Susquehanna 26-yard line before a fumble ended the drive. The teams traded punts for the rest of the third quarter. Early in the fourth quarter, Hotaling attempted a 38-yard field goal but was short.
After a punt by the Greyhounds, the Moravian defense forced Susquehanna into a three-and-out. T.J. Morton came in to punt and had his attempt blocked by Greyhounds' freshman wide receiver Liam Nolan. However, on Moravian's second play, sophomore quarterback Corey Clemons had a pass tipped at the line of scrimmage and intercepted by Cody Miller, who returned the ball 56 yards for a touchdown.
After the Crusaders scored again on a Rosenbaum pass, Moravian took over at its own 21-yard line. On the second play, Clemons completed a pass but was injured on the play. Moyer came back into the game and finished off the drive with a 13-yard catch-and-run to Snyder-Scipio, who stretched out to get the ball inside of the pylon to score.
Sophomore defensive back Anthony Orlando recovered a fumble for the Greyhounds on Susquehanna's next drive at the Moravian 47-yard line. Moyer would complete three straight passes to Snyder-Scipio from midfield, the final one covering 26 yards as Snyder-Scipio out-jumped the Susquehanna defenders in the far corner of the end zone.
Moravian attempted its second straight onside kick but the Crusaders would gain possession for the second time and kneel down to run out the clock.
The Greyhounds had 248 yards on 71 plays in the game with freshman running back Larry Spann gaining 28 yards on six carries while freshman running back Chris Negron added 22 yards on 12 carries. Sophomore wide receiver Jimmy McCarthy had five receptions for 32 yards.
Rosenbaum completed 15-of-22 passes for 169 yards with his interception and touchdown while running back Tim Wade led Susquehanna with 166 yards on the ground on 35 attempts.
Bracken had a team high 11 tackles for the Greyhounds to go with his interception, a tackle for loss and two passes defended while Orlando had nine tackles with his fumble recovery. Senior defensive back Rees Judge and junior defensive back Ricky Sinnig each had eight tackles for Moravian while sophomore linebacker Brendan Downey added seven stops.
The Greyhounds, who have played four of their first six games of the season on the road, will return to action at Rocco Calvo Field on Saturday, October 26 to begin a three-game homestand. Moravian welcomes Franklin & Marshall College next Saturday afternoon for Take a Kid to the Game day. Kickoff is slated for 12:05 p.m. with the game being broadcast live by TV-2 Sports.
