Quakers survive scare at Princeton

PRINCETON, N.J. -- It took two heart-stopping kicks -- one good, one bad -- but the Quakers still found a way to win on Saturday. Freshman kicker Derek Zoch put his first career 3-pointer through the uprights with 3 minutes to go in the game to give Penn a slim 16-15 lead. But the kick of the game came at the other end. Princeton's Derek Javarone had a chance to win it for the Tigers with 18 seconds to go. But this time the tables turned for Penn. From 41-yards with the game on the line, Javarone's kick sailed wide to the right. Just what the Penn football Gods ordered. Make it 20 in a row for the Quakers, and anyone will admit they've earned the last three the hard way. Today was no exception. The Quakers needed nearly 25 minutes of play to record a first down. But when they got it with 5 minutes to go in the second quarter, the momentum shifted dramatically. Quarterback Pat McDermott got things started with a 32-yard strike to Dan Castles, which ignited an 89-yard Penn drive to the end zone. Von Bryant capped off the Quakers two-minute drill with a 12-yard touchdown run to give the Red and Blue a halftime lead. Princeton added a touchdown of its own in the third quarter on junior Greg Fields' 8-yard run. With the score 12-7, Princeton coach Roger Hughes elected to try a two-point conversion that would later prove to be difference in the game when Matt Verbit could not find the endzone on the try. Penn answered with a 19-yard touchdown strike to senior wide receiver Gabe Marabella, and subsequently failed to complete a two-point conversion. Fields set up the Tigers' first strike early in the first quarter with a 49-yard punt return to bring the Orange and Black to the Penn 12-yard line. From there, kicker Derek Javarone was able to nail a 27-yard field goal. Javarone struck moments later after the teams exchanged fumbles in the Quakers' red zone. Princeton marched 32 yards to the Penn 15 until the defense managed a stop. But Javarone was able to put 3 more on the board with a 32-yard field goal. Penn improves to 7-1 on the season and a perfect 5-0 in the Ancient Eight. Princeton falls to 4-4 and 2-3.

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