Kikta Moves Within 63 Yards of Single-Season Receiving Record in Tartans Setback at Washington

(ST. LOUIS, Mo.) – The Carnegie Mellon University football team opened University Athletic Association (UAA) play in St. Louis on Saturday, October 27, and dropped a 15-3 decision to the Bears of Washington University.  The Tartans are now 5-3, 0-1 while the Bears move to 3-5, 1-0.

On Washington's first possession of the game, sophomore Shae Sealey (Lithia Springs, Ga./Douglas County) intercepted Eric Daginella in the end zone.  On the Tartans ensuing possession, a 16-play, 79-yard drive that eclipsed 8:02 ended on a fumble that was recovered by the Bears Tate Byers at the 1-yard line.

The game remained scoreless until late in the first half, as a senior linebacker Owen Parker's (Burton, Ohio/Notre Dame - Cathedral Latin) interception at the Washington 30-yard line setup up the first score of the game.  Seven plays later, freshman place kicker Connor Young (Long Valley, N.J./West Morris Central) connected on a 25-yard field goal with 25 seconds showing on the clock in the second quarter to give the Tartans a 3-0 lead.

After a missed 33-yard field by Washington's Alex Hallwachs on the opening drive of the second half, Tartan junior quarterback Rob Kalkstein (Monroeville, Pa./Gateway) was hit from behind and fumbled the ball on the next play.  Washington's William Small recovered the fumble and four plays later Hallwachs redeemed himself by splitting the uprights from 33 yards away making the score 3-3 with 6:22 to play in the third quarter.

Hallwachs gave the home team their first lead of the contest four minutes later when the place kicker connected on a 46-yard field goal. The freshman extended the Bears lead with his third converted and fourth attempted field goal of the quarter.  This time Hallwachs' 41 yarder with six second in the quarter made the score 9-3.

Washington made the score 15-3 with 5:49 to play in the contest.  Daginella hooked up with Ryan Lubatkin on a 43-yard bubble screen.  The two-point try failed leaving the score 15-3 Washington.  

Washington outgained Carnegie Mellon 328-226 yards. Freshman Troy Witt (Cranberry Twp., Pa./Seneca Valley) led all Tartan rushers with 47 yards on 12 carries.  Junior wide receiver Tim Kikta (Pittsburgh, Pa./Upper St. Clair) recorded six receptions for 56 yards giving him 706 receiving yards this season moving him 63 yards closer to setting the single-season Tartan record. Defensively, junior linebacker Akwasi Brefo (Lawrenceville, Ga./Central Gwinette) totaled nine tackles while junior inside linebacker Eric Rolfes (Cincinnati, Ohio/Madeira) had eight.

The Tartans will continue UAA play next Saturday, November 3 as the Maroons of the University of Chicago travel to Pittsburgh for a 12:00 p.m. kick.