EDINBORO, PA – The IUP defense tallied 10 sacks and allowed just 129 total yards as the Crimson Hawks defeated Edinboro 18-8 on Saturday afternoon at Sox Harrison Stadium.
 
The Crimson Hawks limited one of the top quarterbacks in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC), Cody Harris, to just 135 yards through the air, as he completed 16-of-22 passes. Six IUP defenders combined for nine sacks, with another coming on an Edinboro holding penalty in its own end zone in the fourth quarter.

The 10 total sacks is the most by an IUP defensive unit in a game since 2003. Since then, the most sacks IUP recorded in a singe game was seven on three separate occasions - Sept. 13, 2003 at New Haven, Aug. 28, 2004 vs. Millersville, and Oct. 8, 2011 at Mercyhurst. The sack total is also tied for the second highest in a Division II game this season; Missouri S&T had 14 while Humboldt State and Western State each tallied 10 earlier this season.
 
Edinboro was forced into five drives of three-and-out, and another two that lasted just one play. The Fighting Scots ran just 46 plays on the day compared to IUP's 69, as the Crimson Hawks dominated time of possession 37:24 to 22:36.
 
IUP limited the Fighting Scots to negative six rushing yards, its lowest total since giving up negative 32 yards to Lock Haven in 2009. Edinboro was also only 1-of-10 on third down conversions.
 
It was the Crimson Hawks' third straight victory as they improve to 4-1 overall and 3-1 in the PSAC. Edinboro remains winless on the year at 0-5 and 0-5.
 
It was a low-scoring first half, with IUP managing a pair of Brett Ullman (Baltimore, Md./Perry Hall) field goals to go into the locker room with a 6-0 lead. The field goals were the first two for Ullman this year, who had yet to attempt a three-point try in the previous four games. Both of his first half kicks came after long, 13-play drives, converting a 37-yarder in the first quarter and a 25-yarder in the second.
 
The Crimson Hawks started the third quarter with another long scoring drive, this time getting a touchdown with Chase Haslett (Clayton, Mo./Clayton) finding Drew Carswell (Pittsburgh, Pa. /Sto-Rox) for a 16-yard score. Ullman's extra point made it 13-0 with under 10 minutes to go in the third quarter.
 
Following a three-and-out by Edinboro, IUP put together another scoring drive as Ullman made his third field goal of the game, this one from 22 yards out to put the Crimson Hawks on top 16-0 with 4:50 still to play in the third.
 
The Fighting Scots got their lone score in the fourth, capitalizing on great field position at the IUP 45-yard line to cap a five-play drive with a six-yard touchdown toss from Harris to Kolbe Hughes. The resulting two-point conversion was good, and Edinboro trailed 16-8 with 9:45 left in the game.
 
IUP was forced to punt it back to the Fighting Scots, but punter Matt Spegal (Bethel Park, Pa. /Bethel Park) didn't them much room to breathe, pinning Edinboro inside its own 10-yard line to start the drive. It was one of four punts that Spegal dropped inside the Edinboro 20-yard line.
 
IUP defensive tackle Bryce Gilbert (Brookfield, Wis./Central) came up big on the ensuing play, sacking Harris back at his own three-yard line, which set up the next play, which was the Fighting Scots' holding penalty in the end zone, resulting in a safety and putting the Crimson Hawks on top 18-8.
 
The 10th sack of the game came from Matthew Mowad (Easton, Pa. /Easton) on Edinboro's final desperation drive with under two minutes remaining. Gilbert led all defenders with two sacks, while Mowad, Karon Gibson (Sicklerville, N.J./Woodbury), Jemal Averette (Upper Marlboro, Md./Our Lady of Good Counsel), Kevin Clarke (West Mifflin, Pa. /West Mifflin) and Dorian Lane (Pittsburgh, Pa. /Woodland Hills) combined for seven more.
Clarke finished with a team-high eight tackles and Lane added seven with two tackles-for-loss and also broke up a pass.
 
Freshman running back Luigi Lista-Brinza (McKees Rocks, Pa. /Central Catholic) ran for 118 yards on 24 carries, his fourth 100-yard game in his first five career games. Haslett finished 13-of-21 for 157 yards and a touchdown through the air. Carswell caught five passes for 68 yards and that touchdown, while Brock DeCicco (Jefferson Hills, Pa. /Thomas Jefferson) and Walt Pegues (Philadelphia, Pa. /Central) each had two receptions.
 
The win gave the Crimson Hawks a little bit of revenge, as Edinboro upset IUP 36-30 a season ago at Miller Stadium. Today's win also came on Edinboro's Homecoming.