WORCESTER, Mass. — The Holy Cross football team overcame a 21-3 first-half deficit and rallied for a 40-38 win in a Senior Day contest on Saturday, Nov. 16 at Fitton Field.

Sophomore running back Jayden Clerveaux scored two touchdowns, totaling 91 rushing yards on 23 carries. Senior tight end Jacob Petersen had a team-high 90 yards on three receptions. Senior quarterback Joe Pesansky passed for 186 yards and a touchdown while also rushing for 26 yards. Rookie Alijah Cason was stellar on kickoff, with four returns for a total of 143 yards. 

Senior linebacker Frankie Monte had an all-around effort on defense, with eight tackles (including six solo), an interception that led to a scoring drive, one tackle for loss and a game-sealing fumble recovery. Senior safety Jake Jarmolowich finished with a team-high nine tackles and a pass breakup. 

Holy Cross (5-6, 4-1 Patriot League) had five sacks on the day, including two from senior defensive tackle Joe Townsend — who had a strip sack on Bucknell's final drive of the game. Junior defensive end Christian Ross finished with 2.5 TFLs, including a six-yard sack. 

Senior safety Curtis Harris-Lopez had a 56-yard pick six in the fourth quarter; sophomore kicker Daniel Porto hit the game-winning 23-yard field goal with under a minute left in the game. 

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• Bucknell quarterback Ralph Rucker IV found receiver Sam Milligan twice in the first quarter, giving the Bison (5-6, 3-2 Patriot League) a 14-0 lead early. 
• The Crusaders settled for a field goal after an 11-play drive, cutting within 14-3 with 11:59 to go in the first half. Just over four minutes later, Rucker threw his third touchdown of the game — an 18-yard completion to Eric Weatherly — to extend the Bucknell advantage to 21-3 with 7:30 left in the half.
• Monte's interception with 1:47 remaining in the second handed the ball back to Holy Cross at the Bucknell 43-yard line. Aided by a pair of pass interference calls, the Crusaders made their way to the two-yard line, where Clerveaux ran into the end zone to make it a 21-10 game heading into halftime. 
• Cason had a 53-yard return on the opening kickoff of the second half, putting the Crusaders at the Bucknell 40-yard line. A five-yard run by Clerveaux set up a 35-yard touchdown pass by Pesansky to junior receiver Max Mosey, bringing the Crusaders within 21-17 just 46 seconds into the second half.
• A muffed punt was recovered by the Bucknell defense on the Crusaders' 16-yard line, but the Holy Cross defense held the Bison to just a field goal, making it a 24-17 game with 8:37 left in the third. 
• After a turnover on downs, Bucknell took over at the Holy Cross 39-yard line, where Rucker completed a pass to Weatherly for 27 yards, followed by a nine-yard pass to wide receiver Nate Anderson to extend the Bison lead back to 14, 31-17, with 6:27 left in the third.
• Sophomore defensive lineman Ross Dansdill — in his first game of the season — blocked a Bison punt that was recovered by sophomore cornerback Cam Jones for a Holy Cross touchdown, bringing Holy Cross within 31-24 late in the third.
• To begin the fourth quarter, Pesansky connected with Petersen on a 75-yard pass, placing the Crusaders on the four-yard line before Clerveaux ran into the end zone to tie the game up at 31-31 with 14:19 left in the game.
• Harris-Lopez picked off Rucker and ran for a 56-yard touchdown return to put the Crusaders in the lead for the first time all day, 37-31, with 11:49 to go in the fourth. 
• Bucknell responded on their next drive to take a 38-37 lead with 8:13 left in the third.
• After the teams traded scoreless drives, Holy Cross used up 3:05 to set Porto up for the game-winning field goal — a 23-yarder with 59 seconds left, giving Holy Cross a 40-38 edge.
• On Bucknell's final drive, Holy Cross secured the win after Townsend's strip sack and Monte's fumble recovery.

BEYOND THE BOX SCORE:

• Holy Cross' five sacks marked the team's most in a game since the 2021 season.
• Monte's interception was the first of his career. He ranks second in the league with three fumble recoveries this season and third with 112 total tackles on the year.
• Jarmolowich's nine tackles tied a career high. 
• Dansdill's punt block and Jones' return marked the first touchdown after a punt block by the Crusaders since the 2022 season.
• Pesansky's 75-yard pass to Petersen was the second-longest completion of the year and the longest reception of Petersen's career. 
• Following the game, Holy Cross celebrated its 25 senior and fifth-year student-athletes during a Senior Day ceremony.
• Holy Cross has won its last six matchups against the Bison.

UP NEXT:

• The Crusaders will close out the regular season on the road as they travel to Washington, D.C., to face Georgetown on Saturday, Nov. 23. 
• Kickoff is scheduled for 12:30 p.m.

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