Box Score Box Score

ITHACA, N.Y. – Freshman Joe Lynch (Wolcott, Conn.) capped off an eight-play drive with a two-yard touchdown run with 36 seconds remaining to give the Post University sprint football team a 17-14 victory over Cornell on Friday night. Junior Jay'Len Mahan became the Eagles' all-time leader in receiving yards in the victory.
 
Post called a timeout on defense down 14-10 with 2:54 left in the game with Cornell on their own 43 yard line to setup a play for third down. Senior Shaquille Williams (St. Augustine, Fla.) picked off Rob Pannullo to setup the Eagles in Cornell territory.
 
The Eagles quickly drove down the field using the passing game. Sophomore Greg Volpe (North Haven, Conn.) was 5-for-7 for 40 yards on the game-winning drive. Volpe found sophomore Rocco Guerrera (Watertown, Conn.) for seven yard on a fourth down play to keep the Eagles' hopes alive in the final minutes. Senior Leslie Morgan (Copiague, N.Y.) caught a 10-yard pass on the next play and was stopped at the two yard line to setup the Lynch touchdown.
 
"We've been very good this year in our four-minute pace offense but we need to finish more dives early and get the ball into the end zone. We came together and rallied when we needed to and got the job done," said head coach Michael Mannetti.
 
Freshman Trevor Patterson (Wildomar, Calif.) intercepted a last-second attempt by Cornell to seal the victory.
 
After Post went three and out to start the game, Cornell drove down the field on eight plays to take a 7-0 lead early in the first quarter. The Big Red held that after one quarter after each team missed a field goal attempt.
 
Volpe hit Morgan for a 45-yard pass to begin the second quarter. He finished with four catches for 69 yards. The Eagles drive stalled at the four yard line but freshman Matthew Russo (Hicksville, N.Y.) made a 21-yard field goal to put Post on the board. Cornell missed another field goal in the half and took a 7-3 lead into the break.
 
The Big Red drove down the field to open the third quarter and had goal to go on the Post eight yard line. After a seven-yard rush by Benjamin Herrera brought the ball to the one, the Eagles made a goal-line stand to take over on downs. Sophomore Chris Leggio (Brewster, N.Y.) made two stops on the goal line.
 
The Eagles punted on their next drive and Cornell once-again missed a field goal and Post took over deep in its own territory. Volpe hit Mahan deep for a 91-yard touchdown to give the Eagles their first lead of the game at 10-7 with 4:11 left in the third. That play made Mahan the third member of Post's 1,000 receiving yard club.
 
Cornell took the lead back on their first drive of the fourth quarter. Pannullo threw his second touchdown pass of the game to put the Big Red up 14-10 with just over 10 minutes left. The score was setup by a 41-yard pass play to Trevor Marrero that set Cornell up on Post's five yard line.
 
Post turned the ball over on downs in Cornell territory on its next drive. Williams made his interception on the next Big Red drive.
 
"Our defense played solid the entire game, especially in the fourth quarter in the secondary. The secondary had really come around in the last few games, making plays that we weren't earlier in the season. That's all come with repetition and competition," added Mannetti.
 
Offensively the teams were even with Cornell holding a slim 373-356 advantage in total yards. Volpe was 18-for-28 and finished with 266 yards. Lynch had 78 yards on the ground. Mahan caught four passes for 121 yards. Sophomore Tylik Lawson (Berlin, Md.) led the defense with eight tackles and a forced fumble.
 
Post returns to LaMoy Field for its final home game of the season and the third annual CSFL Talon Cup on Saturday, Nov. 1 against Franklin Pierce at 12 p.m. The teams have split the previous two meetings.