Oct 5, 2002
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PITTSBURGH (AP) - Earl Bellisario's 24-yard field goal with 10 seconds left lifted Duquesne to a 23-22 victory over Lafayette, likely preserving the Dukes' No. 1 ranking in the NCAA Division I-AA Mid-Major poll.
Lafayette (2-3) took a 22-20 lead on Martin Brecht's 20-yard field goal with 1:03 left in the game, before Duquesne (5-0) answered with their game-winning eight-play, 71-yard scoring drive.
Lafayette was able to rush Brecht onto the field for a 60-yard field goal attempt that fell short as time expired.
Duquesne quarterback Niel Loebig set school records 54 pass attempts and 29 completions - 13 to Jeremy Conley, who also set a school record.
Loebig finished with 349 yards passing but threw three interceptions. Conley had 154 yards receiving.
Lafayette scored first when Archie Fisher returned a blocked punt 26 yards for a touchdown early in the first quarter. Lafayette made it 10-0 on the first of three Brecht field goals, a 35-yarder, with 8:21 left in the half.
Conley cut the margin to 10-7 on a 20-yard pass from Loebig with 1:29 left in the half.
After Mike Hilliard gave Duquesne a 14-10 lead with a 24-yard run, Brecht answered with his second field foal, a 26-yarder, to cut the lead to 14-13 late in the third quarter.
Lafayette took a 19-14 lead when Marko Glavic threw 50 yards to John Weyrauch 16 seconds into the final quarter, but Glavic's two-point conversion pass failed.
Duquesne regained the lead, 20-19 on Yardon Brantley's 6-yard touchdown pass from Loebig, his second of the day. The teams then traded their last-minute field goals for the final margin.
