PHILADELPHIA, PA --The La Salle University football team saw its dramatic comeback in the final five minutes fizzle out on a fall start as they dropped a 24-21 decision to the College of New Jersey on Friday night at McCarthy Stadium.

The Explorers dominated almost every statistical category but also led in penalties (4-25) and turnovers lost (four to TCNJ's none) in the defeat.   TCNJ scored first on a 15-yard touchdown catch by Ryan Ross from Chris James after the Explorers were pinned deep giving the Lions starting position on the La Salle 28-yard line.

Kevin Sullivan (Nanuet, NY/St. Joe's-Montvale) busted into the end one on a 25-yard run with6:14 remaining in the half and Anthony Perlozzo's (Ocean City, MD/Decatur) extra point gave the Explorers their only lead of the game at 7-6. 

The lead was short-lived as Ross took the ensuing kick 95 yards for the touchdown to tie a school record and reclaim the lead for the Lions.

The Explorers then rallied to end the half with an 82-yard drive that finished with a 20-yard touchdown pass from Joe Procopio (Calvert Maryland,MD/Calvert-Temple University) to Shane Kendrick (Atco, NJ/Camden Catholic) to set up Perlozzo's extra point for the 14-14 tie.

After a scoreless third quarter the Explorers offense began rolling and had driven to the TCNJ 33-yard line on a 23-yard strike from Procopio to junior Bernie Cevis (Port Deposit, MD/Harford Tech) but in the aftermath of the pass Procopio was hit and aggravated an existing knee injury that forced him to leave the game.

Almost concurrently, TCNJ switched to a three running back which yielded a 60-yard drive to take the lead.  The drive had eclipsed the total offense gained by the Lions to that point in the game.  After the Explorers' third turnover of the game, and Sullivan's second fumble, Matt Dallessio hit a 29-yard field goal to make it 24-21.

Two series later the Explorers' Mark Moraca (Mantua, NJ/Clearview) blocked Dallessio's punt and set up a scoring drive led by the punishing running of Sullivan and senior Josh Brumfield (Chester Springs, PA/Owen J. Roberts) which set up Chris Hanson's (Southampton, PA/Archbishop Wood) 5-yard touchdown pass to Cevis to set the score at 24-21 after the extra point.

Nasir Yard (Philadelphia, PA/Hebron Prep) fell on the ensuing kick-off with 2.25 to play to set up the potential go-ahead drive.  The Explorers picked up two first downs and drove to the TCNJ 25 but got whistled for a false start on third down and one which created a third and five situation.  Senior Lou Russo (Marlton, NJ/Cherokee) got five and half yards back but Hanson was stopped on the quarterback sneak to turn the ball over on downs and end the game.

The Explorers will play their first road game of the season when they travel to Ursinus for a 1:00 PM kick-off at Patterson Field next Saturday.