Boxscore

ITHACA, N.Y. – Sheets of rain, upturned umbrellas, and slippery balls were the theme of a heartbreaking 10-9 loss to Army in the final CSFL conference game of the year. Cornell dropped its record to 3-3 and finished its season with a CSFL record of 3-2 to end hopes of a CSFL title.

The Big Red defense stopped the top-rated rushing Army attack, holding the visitors to just 84 yards on the ground, including a mere 33 in the first half. Cornell only allowed 111 total yards, and held the Black Knights to just four pass completions. John Parke led the Big Red with 10 tackles, and Kevin Schmidt had the lone Cornell sack. John Mackintosh and Evan Levy both had interceptions.

Cornell's offense was led by a breakout performance from senior Dan Rowoth, who led the team with 56 yards on the ground on just eight carries (7.0 ypc). Elliot Corey passed for 106 yards, with 57 of them to Upal Sarker.

Cornell got on the board first midway through the first half. After Matt Ferrari got a hand on an Army punt for the block, the Big Red started its drive at the Army 33-yard line. D.J. Schiavetta ran for a first down to set up a 30-yard field goal attempt for Alex Perilstein, who connected to give the Big Red the early 3-0 lead.

The Big Red scored again later in the half via another Perilstein field goal, this time from 36 yards out. Clay Hemminger stripped the ball from Army quarterback Tim Meier and the ball was recovered by Mackintosh at the Army 13-yard line. Cornell took a 6-0 lead as the teams switched sides at the end of the first quarter.

Army initiated its first scoring drive at the start of the second quarter. After earning the team's first first-down, the Black Knights drove the ball down to the Cornell 29-yard line. Samuel Herbert struck the long 42-yard field goal just inside the right upright to cut the Cornell lead in half, 6-3.

The Black Knights managed to get one more good drive together right before the half. It began when Perilstein punted and the ball was downed at the Cornell 26-yard line. Meier completed his first pass with 2:30 remaining on the clock and Ricky Lentz found holes in the Cornell defensive line. The Big Red defense stuffed Army on a second-and-three deep in Cornell territory for a loss of three yards, to force a futile 55-yard field goal attempt and Cornell led 6-3 going into the locker room at halftime.

Cornell increased its lead to 9-3 after a 27-yard field goal from Perilstein. The field goal came during the team's second possession of the third quarter and was set up by a pair of 12-yard runs from DJ Schiavetta.

Rowoth provided fresh legs off the bench to lead another impressive Cornell drive. The senior running back had a seven-yard scamper, followed by a 26 yard run down the right sideline to bring the ball all the way to the Army 18-yard line. Unfortunately for the Big Red, the wet ball made its biggest impact of the game when Corey kept the ball on the third-and-one up the middle but Army's Matthew Talley stripped the ball and returned it 85 yards untouched for the touchdown. The extra point gave Army its first lead of the game, 10-9, and Cornell was down heading into the fourth quarter for the second straight game.

After both teams were unable to score, the Big Red defense gave Cornell one final chance. Still down by one point with just 2:17 left on the clock Evan Levy intercepted a Meier pass to give the Big Red the possession at the Cornell 21-yard line. Corey converted two huge first downs, including a miraculous catch by Chris LaBerge at the Army 38-yard line. Army put together a good pass rush, forcing Corey to run on the ensuing three plays and set up a fourth-and-thirteen at the Army-41. With no time outs and no time to pass, Corey threw up the pass at the eleven yard line. LaBerge appeared to catch it, but Army's Taylor Griffin ripped the ball away to intercept the pass with seven seconds left, handing Cornell the 10-9 loss.

Cornell ends its 2009 season and celebrates Senior Night in a non-conference game against Mansfield on Friday, Oct. 30 at Schoellkopf Field at 7:00 p.m.