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Friday, September 20, 2002

By Phil Axelrod, Post-Gazette Sports Writer

It doesn't get any easier for IUP.

The Indians, ranked 15th in NCAA Division II, complete a demanding non-conference schedule against proven power New Haven at 1 p.m. tomorrow at Miller Stadium in a pivotal matchup that will have implications when at-large bids to the playoffs are offered.

IUP has a winning record against every team on its schedule but New Haven, which is 3-3 against the Indians. Since losing, 37-34, to Findlay, IUP (2-1) has defeated nationally ranked Bloomsburg and Catawba.

"This tough schedule was by design. We normally try to play a strong preseason schedule so we really know where we are as a team," Coach Frank Cignetti said. "Right now we know where we are and what we have to do to get better."

"We feel with our schedule that we can still get into the playoffs with two losses."

The Indians are coming off a dramatic 27-26 victory against then-No. 8 Catawba in which quarterback Brian Eyerman completed 8 of 8 passes for 156 yards and three touchdowns in the fourth quarter. Eyerman, a senior from North Allegheny High School, was named the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference West offensive player of the week.

"It definitely will carry over," Cignetti said of the rally against Catawba. "Our problem right now is injuries on the defensive side of the football. Offensively, we have weapons. The potential is there."

Eyerman tied his own school record with four touchdown passes and has thrown two or more touchdown passes in nine consecutive games.

Senior tailback Elice Parker, a transfer from LSU, rushed for 126 yards on 20 carries against Catawba. It was the third consecutive game in which he surpassed 100 yards. He leads the PSAC and is 11th in the country with an average of 141.3 yards per game.

Although New Haven (1-1) is unranked, the Chargers threw a scare into No. 5 Carson-Newman before falling, 36-31. New Haven rallied from a 29-3 halftime deficit behind quarterback Rob D'Innocenzio, who threw three touchdown passes. Ostric Bittle had nine catches for 113 yards and Matt Marcks eight for 105 yards.

New Haven's Dawud Hanif has run for 167 yards this season and is the fifth-leading rusher in school history with 1,892 yards.

Marist (2-0, 1-0) at Duquesne (2-0, 1-0), 1:30 p.m. -- Duquesne sophomore quarterback Niel Loebig, whose shoulder was reinjured in last week's 17-7 victory against Siena, is questionable. Freshman Ben Palumbo replaced him against Siena and was named Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference rookie of the week. ... Dukes have won 17 consecutive games against league opponents and three MAAC championships in a row. ... Duquesne is ranked No. 2 in the Sports Network I-AA Mid-Major poll and Marist is No. 4. ... Marist leads the league in rushing with 340 yards per game. ... Duquesne has won eight in a row against Marist and is 50-7 against MAAC teams since the inception of the league in 1994.

Central Conn. State (0-3, 0-1) at Robert Morris (1-1, 0-0), 1:30 p.m. -- The Colonials, ranked No. 6 in I-AA Mid-Major, are 8-0 against the Blue Devils with a winning margin of 23.5 points per game. ... Colonials are thin in the secondary because Andre Reid is out for the season with a knee injury. Reid had replaced Ed Herriott, who is out indefinitely after having a seizure two weeks ago against Buffalo State. ... Robert Morris is 5 for 28 on third-down conversions (17.9 percent) compared to 43 for 108 (39.8 percent) last season.

Edinboro (2-0) at Tiffin (0-2), 1:30 p.m. -- Edinboro, trying to open 3-0 for the first time since 1992, will be without tailback Alonzo Roebuck, who was suspended for one game after an altercation against Ashland two weeks ago. Roebuck has scored four of the team's six touchdowns and leads with 163 yards rushing. ... Tiffin allows 47.5 points and 505.5 yards per game.

W.Va. Wesleyan (0-2) at California (2-0), 7 p.m. -- California, under new coach John Luckhardt, has outscored its first two opponents, 59-6. ... Quarterback Brandon LeDonne has passed for three touchdowns, one more than last season. ... Two junior-college transfers from Texas lead the Vulcans -- Garvin Graves (18 catches, 160 yards, 1 touchdown) and Claude Whitaker (172 yards rushing, 2 touchdowns).

Phil Axelrod can be reached at paxelrod@post-gazette.com or 412-263-1967.