CANTON, N.Y. – Senior quarterback Keyen Foley (Felton, Calif.) scored on a four-yard run with 10:40 remaining in the fourth quarter to give the Norwich University football team a 10-7 victory over St. Lawrence University on Saturday afternoon at Leckonby Stadium.
Foley's touchdown run capped a dramatic turn of events early in the fourth quarter that started by sophomore linebacker Tyler Bates (Marblehead, Mass.) forcing and recovering a fumble on a punt return by SLU's James Holley-Grisham.
After struggling to get anything going on offense all day, Bates' special teams play was the jolt the Norwich offense needed to finally punch one into the end zone. On the first play from scrimmage following the fumble recovery, Foley found a streaking Adam Fraser (Lowell, Mass.) down the left side of the field for a 35-yard completion to get the ball down to the SLU four-yard line.
On first and goal, senior running back Al Georgio (West Greenwich, R.I.) was stuffed for no gain. On second down though, Foley executed a play-action bootleg run into the right corner of the end zone to perfection. SLU's defense bit on the fake hand off and then Foley spun back to the right side of the field. He outraced a SLU linebacker to the pylon and dove across the goal line for Norwich's first and only touchdown on the day.
The Norwich defense took over from there, bending but not breaking on SLU's last drive with less than four minutes left in the game. SLU converted a fourth and one at the Norwich 35 after a six-yard run by Maurice Irby. However, three straight incomplete passes by Mike Lefflbine set up fourth and 10 at the Norwich 29. Lefflbine found Mitch Gallagher in the middle of the field, but he was cut down one yard short of a first down by senior linebacker Matt LeFevre (Milford, N.J.) to wrap up the Cadets' first victory of 2014.
The Norwich defense was outstanding for the second week in a row, surrendering just 154 yards to St. Lawrence. Senior defensive back Nael Pierre-Louis (Cumberland, R.I.) led the Cadets' defensively with nine total tackles. LeFevre finished with five solo tackles and two assists for seven total. Sophomore Jepthe Soulouque (Everett, Mass.) and Matthew Ulufanua (Brick, N.J.) each notched sacks as well for Norwich.
Norwich (1-1, 0-0 ECFC) opened the scoring with 9:47 remaining in the first quarter when Wesley Medeiros (Gilford, N.H.) hit a 23-yard field goal after the Norwich offense couldn't get anything going after starting at the SLU 11-yard line. Norwich got the great field position following a snap over the head of the Saints' punter on fourth down resulting in a 38 yard loss.
SLU (1-1, 0-0 Liberty League) responded with its first points of the day with 8:22 left in the second quarter when Lefflbine hooked up on an eight-yard TD pass to Leondre Simmon to put the Saints up 7-3 following a successful PAT from Andrew Carvalho.
Norwich gained 152 yards of offense with Foley rushing 17 times for 55 yards and throwing for 76 more on 9-of-21 passing. SLU bottled up Georgio all day, limiting last season's touchdown leader to 17 yards on 17 attempts. Fraser led Norwich with the one reception for 35 yards. Sophomore Robert Rapoza (Mansfield, Mass.) also had three catches for 11 yards.
Lefflbine finished 14-for-27 for 111 yards and a touchdown for St. Lawrence. Irby ran for 72 yards on 25 carries. Mitch Gallagher had three catches for 34 yards to lead St. Lawrence's receivers.
Norwich snapped St. Lawrence's five-game home winning streak with the victory. The Cadets also extended the streak of the visiting team winning the last eight games in the Norwich/St. Lawrence series. The Saints still hold a 30-28-1 lead in the all-time series between the two schools.
Norwich will look to pick up its first home victory of the season next weekend when it returns to Sabine Field at Haynes Family Stadium to take on WPI at 1 p.m. during Norwich Homecoming Weekend 2014.