Wilkes, Pa. (Oct. 19, 2019) - After trailing 28-7 at the half, Alvernia University (2-5, 1-4) put together a 21 point second half, but could not make it to the end zone on the final drive of the game as the Golden Wolves fell to King's College (4-2, 2-2) 35-28 on Saturday afternoon at King's.

After the Monarchs pinned the Golden Wolves on their own 1-yard line with 1:51 remaining in the game. Darius Sample led Alvernia down to its own 44 yard line and threw the ball down field as time expired, but the pass fell incomplete as Alvernia's comeback attempt fell short. 

King's opened the scoring with a safety on Alvernia's first drive of the game. With the Golden Wolves pinned up against their own end line, a low snap sent the ball into the endzone and Sample fell on to it.

Following a free kick by the Golden Wolves, King's used a short field and a 31 yard touchdown pass to go up 9-0. 

The Monarchs and Golden Wolves traded three-and-outs before Alvernia could get the ball moving with 6:44 left in the first. Working off a short field, Alvernia started its drive on King's 48. The Golden Wolves picked up 12 yards on a keeper from Sample, but faced a 4th and 6 on King's 32. Alvernia went for it, and Sample found Antwann Cade along the sideline and ran it in for a 32 yard touchdown reception. 

Alvernia's offense stalled for the remainder of the first half, while the Monarchs scored twice more to go up 28-7 into the break.

Coming out of the half, Alvernia went three-and-out on its first drive and had an interception on its second drive.

After forcing a three-and-out for the Monarchs after the Alvernia interception, the Golden Wolves put together a seven play, 68 yard drive that was capped off by a 32 yard touchdown reception for Otis Harold to make it 21-14.

The Monarchs responded with a touchdown of their own on the following drive to go up 35-14 with 14:10 remaining in the game.

The Golden Wolves had a quick three-play drive and forced its defense back on the field. On 1st and 10 at the Alvernia 30, King's running back Quincy Clark - son of Alvernia's Head Coach Ralph Clark, broke free for the end zone, but Alvernia's Tyzir Morris caught Clark and forced a fumble that went into the end zone for a touchback. 

Alvernia wasted no time moving the ball down the field on its next drive. The Golden Wolves went 80 yards in just over 90 seconds to make it 35-21. Sample finished off the drive with a 7 yard keeper and took the pile into the endzone with him on hard run in.

Matt Mitchell then kicked off to Clark, who returned it for 13 yards before Mitchell came in and forced a fumble that the Golden Wolves recovered on King's 30 yard line.

After facing 3rd and 3 on the 12 yard line, Sample found Owen Morton in the endzone for a touchdown reception to make it a one score game at 35-28.

The Golden Wolves made a big defensive stand on the following Monarch drive, but King's pinned the Golden Wolves on their own one yard line with 1:51 remaining.

Sample completed passes to Jordan Day and Neeko Scurlock to move Alvernia down to its own 18 yard line. Two plays later, Sample found Daniel Scott on a 4th and 10 for a 12 yard gain. With the ball on their own 44 and nine seconds remaining on the clock, Sample threw a deep ball down to Scurlock that fell incomplete. He then threw another deep ball to Malcolm Carey as the final horn sounded, but that pass was broken up by the Monarchs as Alvernia's comeback attempt fell just short.

Sample finished the day 16-for-31 with 199 yards passing and three touchdown passes. He ran for a fourth touchdown on the ground and 71 yards rushing. Carey finished with 58 yards on ten attempts, including a 44 yard run in the fourth quarter. Carey also finished with 10 receiving yards on three catches.

On the receiving end, Morton led Alvernia with four receptions for 41 yards and a touchdown. Scurlock finished with three receptions for 59 yards.

On the defensive side of the ball, Christian Francis and Tajon Whiten finished with ten tackles each. CJ Zimmerman finished with eight tackles and a blocked extra point attempt. 

Keeryan Stevens finished with seven punts for an average of 35 yards, including a booming 58 yard punt. 

Ryan Long finished 4-for-4 on extra point attempts. Mitchell finished with five kickoffs for an average 48 yards. 

This coming Saturday is Alvernia's bye week. The Golden Wolves are back in action on November 2nd for a home game against #12/16 Delaware Valley.