Box Score
GRANVILLE, Ohio (November 12, 2011) Denison University used a pair of fourth-quarter touchdowns to put away Saturday's North Coast Athletic Conference clash with the Kenyon College football team. The two late scores gave the Big Red a 26-7 victory in the rivalry and cemented the Lords' second-straight winless season.
After trailing 12-0 at halftime, Kenyon clawed its way back into the game early in the third quarter. With Denison pinned deep in its own territory, sophomore Ryan Rosen forced a fumble that classmate Keith Jones recovered at the Big Red nine-yard line. Four plays later, sophomore Brad Couts plunged into the end zone from one yard out to bring the Lords within five, 12-7, with 10:15 left in the period.
Aside from that short-field score, however, Kenyon's offense couldn't get much going against Denison. The Lords (0-10, 0-6 NCAC) finished the game with 149 total yards, eight first downs, and only one drive longer than 25 yards.
Even with the offense sputtering, Kenyon's defense kept the game within reach by forcing the Big Red to punt on its remaining third quarter possessions. It wasn't until Sam Fioroni's one-yard scoring scamper capped off an 11-play, 69-yard drive with 8:55 left to play that Denison opened up some breathing room.
The Lords doomed their chances on the ensuing possession when a fumble in Big Red territory stalled a promising drive. Denison then scored for the second time in under three minutes when Max Paulus connected with Andy Carpenter on a 39-yard touchdown pass.
Paulus finished the game 18-of-29 for 288 yards and two touchdowns. Despite the solid numbers, he was intercepted twice by junior Luke Bissinger and sacked by Jones, senior Lucas Ivey, and sophomore Kolin Sullivan.
Fioroni, the NCAC's leading rusher, carried 28 times for 114 yards for the Big Red. Braden Layer hauled in six of Paulus' passes for 93 yards, including a 26-yard scoring grab at the end of the first half. Matt Ring also booted a pair of field goals for Denison (5-5, 4-2 NCAC).
Senior Michael Papagni led all players with 11 tackles in his final game for Kenyon. He finished the year as the team's top tackler with 86 stops
