University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics
Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns
New Mexico State
It's déjà vu all over again for Cajuns at NMS
10/12/2002 12:00:00 AM | Football
Statistical Recap
It was déjà vu all over again for Louisiana-Lafayette on Saturday night at New Mexico State. The Aggies kicked the game winning field goal as time expired to defeat the Cajuns for the second straight year.
Kicking directly into a sharp swirling wind, the Aggies Dario Aguiniga split the uprights from 41-yards away to claim a 31-28 victory.
The Aggies returned the Cajuns squib kick to the 39-yard line, then moved 37 yards in 32 seconds to set-up Aguinaga.
Last year, Aguiniga defeated the Cajuns on a 29-yard field goal as time expired at Cajun Field.
The game winning drive came moments after the Cajuns came from behind to tie the contest.
Down 28-21, the Cajuns would not quit. Facing 87 yards and just 2:53 on the clock, Jon Van Cleave directed a masterful drive hitting Andre George in the end zone with only 41 seconds remaining in the game. Sean Comiskey?s extra point tied the game at 28-28.
?I?m really proud of the way we fought and clawed to get back into the lead,? said head coach Rickey Bustle. ?The players did not quit.?
UL Lafayette took their first lead following an 80-yard scoring drive. Van Cleave completed all five of his attempts for 37 yards; while Jerome Coleman ran six times for 36 yards. Fred Stamps hauled in his fourth touchdown of the season giving the Cajuns a 21-20 lead.
The Aggies came back with an 85-yard scoring drive to reclaim the lead for the third time in the contest. NMS used 13 plays and over five minutes leading up to a seven-yard touchdown run by Paul Dombrowski. Dombrowski hit Rambo Fiaseu on a two-point conversion to extend the Aggies lead to 28-21.
The Aggies took a 20-14 lead to begin the third quarter on a 47-yard field goal by Aguiniga.
Louisiana-Lafayette missed three second quarter opportunities to capitalize on mistakes by New Mexico State. The Aggies missed a field goal and lost three fumbles, but the Cajuns could only generate seven points. UL Lafayette missed a field goal of their own and lost two fumbles.
?I?m not sure we gave ourselves the chance to win a couple of times,? Bustle added. ?We missed too many chances to put points on the board in the second quarter.?
The Aggies took the lead at the half on a 25-yard field by Aguiniga with seven seconds remaining.
The game started with a quick strike by New Mexico State. The Aggies needed only five plays to travel 67 yards into the end zone. NMSU used a 30-yard touchdown pass from Buck Pierce to Lamar Hill to take a 7-0 lead.
The Cajuns responded with an impressive 10-play, 79-yard drive. Van Cleave completed three passes, the biggest going for 25 yards to tight end Josh Joerg. Jerome Coleman found the end zone from 14 yards out to tie the score at 7-7.
NMSU utilized excellent field position on the next series thanks to a 41-yard kickoff return by P.J. Winston. After a 15-yard rush by Eric Higgins, Pierce scrambled 41 yards into the end zone to give the Aggies a 14-7 lead. The Aggies needed only 50 seconds to reclaim their lead.
The Cajuns dodged a bullet after New Mexico State had excellent field position to extend their lead. Grant Autrey was forced to punt out of the back of his end zone giving NMS the ball on the Cajuns 37. The Cajuns defense held the Aggies to a 34-yard field goal attempt, which was missed wide right by Aguiniga.
In workman-like fashion, UL Lafayette marched 73 yards down the field on 13 plays, taking over six minutes off the clock. The drive?s key play came with the Cajuns facing a third-and-fourteen situation. Van Cleave connected with George on a 26-yard pass at the NMSU 20. Three rushes by Chester Johnson set-up a three-yard touchdown run by Coleman.
Score By QuartersAttendance: 19,876
New Mexico State14331131
Louisiana-Lafayette777 728Final
NMS-Hill 30-yard pass from Pierce (Aguiniga kick), 12:56, 1st
UL-Coleman 14-yard run (Comiskey kick), 4:54, 1st
NMS-Pierce 41-yard run (Aguiniga kick), 4:04, 1st
UL-Coleman 3-yard run (Comiskey kick), 6:25, 2nd
NMS-Arguiniga 25-yard field goal, 0:07, 2nd
NMS-Arguiniga 47-yard field goal, 2:27, 3rd
UL-Stamps 4-yard pass from Van Cleave (Comiskey kick), 7:01, 3rd
NMS-Dombrowski 7-yard run (Dombrowski pass to Fiaseu), 9:32, 4th
UL-George 3-yard pass from Van Cleave (Comiskey kick), 0:41, 4th
NMS-Arguiniga 41-yard field goal, 0:00, 4th
-Ragin' Cajuns-
