University of St. Thomas Athletics
Carleton
Defense leads close Tommie victory
10/7/2006 12:00:00 AM | Football
The St. Thomas defense held Carleton to 86 yards and no points in the second half and held on for Saturday's 14-10 MIAC football victory at UST's O'Shaughnessy Stadium.
In a game with no second-half scoring, the Tommies (3-2 overall, 2-1 MIAC) used Pat Sommerstad's interception at the Carleton 30 with 1:15 left to close out the victory.
Carleton (3-2, 1-2) also received a stout effort from its defense. Over the final 39:00, the Knights allowed no points in six Tommie drives into Carleton territory, including three goal-line stands.
St. Thomas has allowed just seven touchdowns in five games, and has yet to allow any gain of more than 30 yards this season.
Carleton junior halfback R.J. Jackson, who has 22 career TDs, was held to 69 yards of rushing/receiving yards in 16 touches and only 26 return yards.
St. Thomas had a slim 311-287 edge in total offense as it held the ball for 19:07 in the 30-minute second half. Ten different Tommies had rushes or caught passes with sophomore transfer Scott Brink gaining 49 yards in 10 carries.
The Tommies, who played again without injured receiver P.J. Theisen, gave sophomore QB David Sauer his first start of the season. Sauer threw first-half TD passes of 41 yards to Ian Lewis and 37 yards to Tony Margarit, and finished 14-of-21 for 192 yards and two intercepted.
Carleton lost its second in a row despite a strong passing day by senior Darren Caspers. The Knight QB completed 22-of-37 passes for 203 yards and one touchdown with two intercepted. Matt Frank caught six passes for 80 yards.
Carleton was saddled with poor field position in the second half. The Knights' last three drives started at their own 9-, 5- and 1-yard lines. UST freshman punter A.C. Clouthier pinned Carleton at the 9- and 1-yard line into the wind in the fourth quarter.
Senior Mike Rouse had 3.5 tackles for loss for the UST defense, including 1.5 sacks. Senior Luke Rezac knocked down a Carleton fourth-down pass in the fourth quarter at the Knights' 39-yard-line to kill their last best drive.
UST covered an onside kick try at the Knights 45-yard line in the first quarter, and two plays later Sauer hit Lewis for a 41-yard strike that put UST ahead 7-3.
Matt Anderson's first-quarter interception and return to the Carleton 35 set up Margarit's TD catch four plays later on 4th-and-11 that pushed the lead to 14-3.
Carleton answered with a seven-play, 80-yard drive capped by Caspers' 13-yard pass to Frank midway through the second period.
Carleton's Tim Kane made a 29-yard field goal in the first quarter, but missed a 38-yarder into a stiff wind in the third period. UST's Eric Taylor had a 22-yard field-goal try hit the upright in the third quarter and carom off.
Next Saturday, St. Thomas is home to play Augsburg, while Carleton is home to face Hamline.
