CUA closes out road schedule with trip to N.C. to face Guilford

WASHINGTON - CUA travels to North Carolina Saturday afternoon for its final road game of 2012 where the Cardinals will face Guilford.  CUA dropped a 41-14 decision to Washington & Lee last weekend at home and is looking to snap a two-game skid.  Guilford enters this weekend’s contest coming off a 68-24 setback to Hampden-Sydney, but the Quakers have been the surprise of the ODAC, with three conference wins so far.

CUA and Guilford are meeting for the 14th time this weekend with the Cardinals holding a slim 7-6 lead.  The teams have alternated wins in the last seven meetings, with the Quakers earning a 34-27 win in Washington last season.  The Cardinals won the last meeting in North Carolina in the final seconds, coming away with a 23-22 victory in 2010.

Senior Alonzo Cooke caught eight passes for 116 yards and a touchdown last weekend against Washington & Lee.  The Cardinal wide receiver had struggled recently, totaling only seven catches for 94 yards in the previous three games.  Cooke now has three 100-yard receiving games this season (McDaniel, Hampden-Sydney, Washington & Lee).

In its three games on the road this season, CUA has struggled on the offensive end, averaging just 14.3 points, with a low of 12 at Randolph-Macon.  In five home games, the Cardinals are averaging 32.2 points.

There is no secret to CUA’s success.  When the Cardinals score 30 or more points they are 3-0 this season and 5-1 over the last two years.  When CUA does not hit the 30-point mark, it is 0-5 this year.

Senior Timbo McGarry picked off a pair of passes last weekend, raising his season total to three.  The California native intercepted passes on back-to-back possessions in the 2nd quarter and finished the day with 82 total yards, including 53 on kick returns and 29 on interception returns.

The Cardinals lead the ODAC in forcing turnovers with 19, including a conference-leading 10 fumble recoveries.  CUA’s +4 turnover margin is tops among all ODAC teams, tied with Bridgewater.  Junior Mark D’Annibale leads the conference with three fumble recoveries.

Junior Mike Pitsenberger is CUA’s leading rusher with 490 yards on 116 carries.  The Maryland native totaled his ninth rushing touchdown of the season last weekend, putting him on pace to become the first Cardinal with double-digit rushing touchdowns since Dan Boyle scored 14 in 2000.

In his last two games, Connor Cregan has averaged 37 yards on 11 punts.  Two of those punts were fair caught, and another was downed inside the 20-yard line.  Cregan enters Saturday fifth in the ODAC with a 34.4 per punt average.

For more information on this weekend’s game, check out the CUA game notes.

Saturday’s game gets underway at 1 p.m. from North Carolina.  Guilford will have live video and stats available.