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November 18, 2000 Bloomsburg Downs Saginaw Valley in NCAA Playoff Opening Round

Game Box Score

Game Play by Play

BLOOMSBURG—Quarterback Eric Miller (Clarks Summit/Abington Heights) threw five touchdown passes and ran for another leading Bloomsburg University to a 46-32 come-from-behind win over Saginaw Valley State in the first round of the NCAA Division II playoffs Saturday afternoon.

Miller tied a school record, done twice before (once by Miller), with his five touchdown tosses.

Bloomsburg (10-2) started fast in the game taking advantage of a long opening kickoff return by Bryant Stone (Norwich, CT./Worcester Acad.) setting up a five play, 43 yard scoring drive. Miller hit Mike Lelko (Phillipsburg, NJ/Phillipsburg) with six-yard pass to complete the drive with 12:24 left in the first.

Saginaw Valley (9-3) responded on its first possession marching 62 yards in 15 plays with Damion Bridges scoring from one yard out to tie the game at 7-7.

The Cardinals took the lead at 14-7 later in the first period when Travis McAlpine caught a 23-yard pass frm Matt LeFleur capping a six play, 87-yard drive.

Bloomsburg scored on the first play of the second quarter when Marques Glaze (Robesonia/Conrad Weiser) scored on a 14-yard scamper. The extra point, though, was blocked leaving the Cardinals with a 14-13 advantage.

The Cardinals increased the lead to 24-13 later in the second when Eric Houle connected on a 22-yard field goal attempt and Keath Bartynski scored on two-yard run with 4:29 left.

The Huskies closed the deficit to 24-19 with 3:14 left before halftime when Rocco Forgione (Peckville/Valley View) took a screen pass and went 15 yards for a score.

In the first half, Bloomsburg gained 234 yards of total offense to 258 for the Cardinals despite having just the ball for just 10 minutes.

Bloomsburg took the lead on its first possession of the second half moving 93 yards in just four plays. A big play in the drive was 59-yard pass completion from Miller to Tierell Johnson (Harrisburg/Central Dauphin) giving Bloomsburg the ball at the Cardinals' 32-yard line. Two plays later, Darryl Williams (Philadelphia/Central) caught a 27-yard pass from Miller giving Bloomsburg the lead at 25-24 after the missed two-point conversion. It was just the third catch this season for Williams.

Bloomsburg made it 32-24 later in the period marching 80 yards in six plays with Miller going over from one-yard out with 4:49 to play in the third.

The Cardinals tied the game at 32-32 in the fourth period when Bridges scored a on a one-yard run with 11:10 left to play in the game.

Later in the period, the Huskies needed just three plays to go 41 yards for the go-ahead score. Miller hit Johnson with a 26-yard pass giving Bloomsburg a 39-32 advantage with 5:38 to play.

Saginaw Valley then went three-and-out on its next series giving Bloomsburg a chance to run out the clock. With just over a minute left to play and facing a fourth and four from the Cardinals' 24 yard line, the Huskies went for it all with Miller hitting Lelko with his second touchdown catch of the day making the final 46-32.

Miller finished the day 16-27 for 316 yards and five scores. Lelko caught 7 passes for 120 yards and two scores, while Johnson hauled in six for 148 and a score.

Overall, the Huskies accumulated 573 yards of total offense in just 22 minutes of play. Saginaw Valley gained 459 in 38 minutes of play. Trent Flick led the Bloosmburg defense with 13 tackles, while Matt Keys had 11 stops.

Saginaw Valley quarterback Matt LeFleur was 29 of 48 for 357 yards and one score.

The win is the first for Bloomsburg in NCAA playoff action since 1985.

Bloomsburg has now 10 straight games after starting the season 0-2. The Huskies will face Northwood College Saturday, Nov. 25 at a time and site to be determined.