WORCESTER, Mass. — The No. 5 Holy Cross football team pulled away in the second half of its season-opening matchup over Merrimack, defeating the Warriors 42-20 on Saturday, Sept. 2 at Fitton Field.
Junior running back
Jordan Fuller totaled five touchdowns on the day – the most touchdowns scored by a Crusader in a single game since Gordie Lockbaum against Dartmouth in 1986 – with four touchdown rushes and one receiving score. His 120 rushing yards were a career high.
Senior receiver
Jalen Coker had a touchdown on four receptions, totaling 136 yards. Senior quarterback
Matthew Sluka passed for 190 yards and two touchdowns, while also totaling 91 rushing yards.
In his first game since Sept. 24, 2022, fifth-year linebacker
Jacob Dobbs posted a career-best 21 tackles on the day, while also hurrying the quarterback twice. Senior cornerback
Terrence Spence finished with nine tackles, including one for a loss, and added in a pass breakup. Junior safety
Curtis Harris-Lopez also had nine tackles.
Holy Cross (1-0) trailed at the half by a 17-14 margin, but outscored the Warriors (0-1), 28-3, in the second half to secure the victory.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- Merrimack got on the board first with a 34-yard field goal with 4:39 left in the first.
- With only 50 seconds to go in the first quarter, Sluka connected with Coker on a 29-yard touchdown to give Holy Cross a 7-3 lead.
- The Warriors quickly responded, scoring just over two minutes into the second quarter to take a 10-7 advantage.
- On the ensuing drive, Sluka found a wide-open Fuller for a 14-yard touchdown reception, putting the Crusaders back ahead 14-10 with 9:30 left.
- The Warriors used 14 plays, capped by a five-yard quarterback keeper from Gavin McCusker, to regain a 17-14 lead with 1:32 left in the half.
- The Crusader defense held Merrimack to just nine yards on their opening drive of the second half. Holy Cross responded quickly, with Coker catching a 39-yard heave from Sluka and Fuller using back-to-back two-yard rushes to score and give Holy Cross a 20-17 advantage.
- Merrimack came within 21-20 after a 22-yard field goal with 3:48 left in the third.
- Fuller broke away for a 49-yard rush to set up his eventual one-yard touchdown rush as time expired in the third and extend the Holy Cross lead to 28-20.
- The Warriors attempted a 51-yard field goal early in the fourth, but were unsuccessful. Sluka's 51-yard pass to Coker paved the way for another two-yard touchdown rush for Fuller, making it a 35-20 score with 8:11 remaining.
- Fuller broke away for one more score, a 28-yard touchdown, with a minute left in the contest.
BEYOND THE BOX SCORE:
- Fuller is the first Crusader to rush for four touchdowns in a single game since Steve Silva did so against Bucknell in 2005.
- Fuller moved into fifth place in program history with 26 career rushing touchdowns.
UP NEXT:
- The Crusaders travel to face FBS foe and historic rival Boston College on Saturday, Sept. 9.
- Kickoff in Chestnut Hill is set for noon.
FOLLOW THE CRUSADERS
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