Advertisement

Football Grinds Cornell Into Mud

RB Menick's big day leads Harvard to first victory

The ensuing kickoff went to Big Red junior Justin Bush. Bush took it up the left sideline and cut back to the middle at the Cornell 40-yard line and went all the way for an 87-yard return.

"[After the return] we had to just play our game and stick to the game plan," Bibro said. "We could not let that bother us."

The Crimson defense quickly regrouped and made that narrow lead hold up.

Junior linebacker Isaiah Kacyvenski stopped one of the Big Red's final drives allby himself.

Cornell drove the ball to Harvard's 30-yardline. On first down, Kacyvenski stuffed Harris atthe line. He again brought down Harris on seconddown for just a two-yard gain. Bush ran left forfour yards on the next play. Kacyvenski finishedthe drive by batting down Hood's pass onfourth-and-3.

"I just had to get the next couple of plays,"Kacyvenski said. "We had to get out of thesituation we were in."

Advertisement

Kacyvenski had an outstanding game for Harvard.In addition to that series, he made a beautifulinterception late in the third quarter. At theCornell 28, Hood threw a five-yard out right atKacyvenski. He tripped in trying to make thecatch, but grabbed the ball as he was fallingdown.

"The ball just slipped out of [Hood's] hands,"Kacyvenski said. "I just happened to be there atthe right place and the right time."

Junior John Patton gave Harvard its margin ofvictory with a 26-yard field goal at 9:39 of thefourth quarter. Senior wideout Terence Pattersonset up the kick with the second of two almostidentical reverses he ran on Saturday, taking theball to the eight-yard line.

"It was a one-score game going down to the lastdrive," Cornell Coach Pete Mangurian said."[Harvard] made plays and we didn't."

The Crimson got on the board on its seconddrive of the game.

On the first three plays of the drive, Menickrushed for four, five and three yardsrespectively. Linden again gave Menick the ball onfirst down, this time on a reverse play. Pattersonreceived the ball from Menick and took it 60 yardsdown the right sideline for Harvard's firsttouchdown.

"On a real wet day it's tough to put the brakeson," said Harvard Coach Tim Murphy. "They have avery aggressive defense and in the weather [thereverse] is that much better."

Patton missed the point-after wide right,leaving Harvard ahead 6-3. He would, however,connect on a 26-yard field goal in the thirdquarter.

Cornell opened the scoring on its secondpossession of the game, marching 80 yards in 11plays to set up a 23-yard field goal by juniorJohn McCombs. McCombs also boomed a 40-yarder at8:09 of the second quarter.

The weather conditions grossly limited the airattack for both teams. Linden only attempted 12passes, connecting on four to gain a mere 49yards. Linden did however, loft a 40-yard passinto Patterson's hands on a middle slant.Patterson, five yards behind that last defender,dropped the sure touchdown.

Recommended Articles

Advertisement