Robert Morris elected to receive the opening kickoff but after its drive stalled after only one first down, Mike Wall blocked a punt by sophomore Michael Walser (Thornville, Ohio / Sheridan), giving the ball to the Great Danes at the Colonial 21-yard line. After going just six yards in four plays, Jason Fralicker gave Albany an early 3-0 lead with a 32-yard field goal. Robert Morris went three-and-out on its next six offensive possessions, and good field position allowed the Great Danes to increase their lead to 9-0 thanks to 40 and 43 yard field goals by Fralicker. Albany scored its nine points despite its offense gaining just 39 yards on 16 plays, an average of 2.4 yards per play.

The Great Danes increased their lead to 16-0 late in the second quarter thanks to its defense. RMU was faced with a drive start at its own nine-yard line, and on 1st-and-10 sophomore quarterback Erik Cwalinski (Jacobsburg, Ohio / Shaydside) was sacked for a six-yard loss back to the RMU three-yard line. It was one of 10 sacks on the afternoon for Albany, the most given up by a Robert Morris club in school history. Two plays later Cwalinski dropped back to pass but was intercepted by Dave Nicomini, who sprinted 21 yards to the end zone for a touchdown and a 16-0 Great Danes advantage.

In the second half defense continued to dominate the game, as through three quarters Robert Morris had posted a total of two offensive yards. The Colonials finally cracked the scoreboard and avoided being shutout at home for the first time in school history when Cwalinski connected with freshman wide receiver Frankie Probst (Lock Haven, Pa. / Lock Haven) for a 19-yard touchdown pass with 2:19 to play. RMU went for the two-point conversion on the play but senior fullback Vince Magnone’s (Weirton, W.Va. / Weir) rush to the right was stopped short of the goal line.

Robert Morris tried an on-side kick after the touchdown catch by Probst but Albany recovered to help seal the victory. Cwalinski finished 12-for-30 passing for 130 yards and a touchdown but was intercepted four times. The Colonial run game never got going, as their stable of running backs combined to post a total of 15 yards rushing on 20 carries.

Albany finished with just 91 total yards on the afternoon, while Robert Morris finished with 79. Daniel Bocanegra finished 5-for-13 passing for 24 yards and was picked off once, while Omar Johnson finished as the club’s leading rusher with just 36 yards on 12 carries. The 10 sacks for the Great Danes is a new single-game school record, while the -51 yards rushing they held Robert Morris is also a new school mark.

Defensively for Robert Morris, senior linebacker Jeff Rommes (Gibsonia, Pa. / Deer Lakes) and senior defensive lineman Matt Brunck (Pittsburgh, Pa. / Fox Chapel) each finished with 10 tackles, while Andre Coleman posted 10 tackles and three and-a-half sacks for Albany.

Robert Morris closes out its 2006 regular season Saturday, Nov. 11, when it travels to Fairfield, Conn., for a 1:00 p.m. league contest against Sacred Heart.

Notes: For the second consecutive season, Robert Morris posted a record of 2-3 at home in Joe Walton Stadium … Senior defensive lineman Ray Gensler (Pittsburgh, Pa. / Keystone Oaks) tied the RMU single-season school record with 11 sacks thanks to one and-a-half against Albany and pushed his career total to 19 … Gensler finished with nine tackles … Rommes moved into the top 10 all-time at Robert Morris for tackles, as his 10 gives him 213 takedowns, which is tied with former defensive back Dante Payne (1994-97) for ninth all-time … Combined Robert Morris and Albany converted only four of 30 third-down opportunities.