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DOYLESTOWN, Pa.- Senior kicker Mason Studer drilled a 38-yard game-winning field goal as time expired Saturday, capping a dramatic comeback and sending the Captains of Christopher Newport to the second round of the NCAA Football Championship. CNU defeated Delaware Valley College, 29-26, and will play at Widener next Saturday in the Round of 16. The Captains have now won five straight games.

"This is as big as it gets," Head Coach Matt Kelchner said following the frenetic finish. "We've had some big wins, including a couple in the NCAA's, but to win on the road in a comeback fashion like that takes the top spot."

The Captains, now 8-3, never led in the game until Studer connected with his line-drive laser that went directly into a steady 20-25 mph wind. The boot was the 31st field goal of Studer's career, matching a CNU all-time career record, and provided redemption for an earlier field goal attempt that was blocked and also a missed extra point.

Each team scored on its first possession Saturday for a 7-7 start. The Aggies then scored the next 19 points to grab a 26-7 advantage with 6:44 to play in the third quarter. The Captains then began their uphill climb with a nine-play, 70-yard drive that ended with a four-yard touchdown run from sophomore Daquan Davis, who had opened the CNU scoring with an 11-yard score in the first quarter.

Christopher Newport utilized another lengthy drive to score again early in the fourth quarter. CNU went 84 yards on seven plays on the drive that began late in the third quarter and carried into the fourth. The senior tandem of Marcus Morrast and Rudy Rudolph connected on a 10-yard scoring strike to pull the Captains to within six, 26-20, with 10:49 to play in the game. Rudolph, who finished with five catches for 79 yards, made a key 42-yard reception during the drive to put CNU at the DelVal 10-yard-line leading to the scoring pass.

CNU then successfully executed an onsides kick as John Johnson recovered the kick of Mason Studer at the Aggies 45-yard-line. The Captains marched downfield on another impressive drive...this time going 45 yards on nine plays to tie the game with a one-yard plunge from Morrast, who scored for the 11th time in as many games. Studer missed the point-after kick, keeping the game even at 26-26 with 6:26 to play.

The defensive effort then kicked into high gear as CNU held Delaware Valley to two three-and-out possessions in the final six minutes. The Captains got the ball at the CNU 19-yard-line with 1:24 to play following a DelVal punt, and Morrast and the offense went back to work.

Morrast ran the ball on three straight plays, gaining 25 yards, and then junior Storm Parker rushed for gains of two and 11 yards on back-to-back plays. The ball was at the DelVal 21-yard-line with just two seconds to play, and on came Studer to attempt the game-winner.

Delaware Valley took two timeouts to try to freeze the CNU all-conference kicker, but Studer delivered to bring the thrilling battle to a close and send the Captains to the second round.

"We never stopped working," Kelchner continued. "We were down but we kept our focus and kept playing hard. This is a fun group of kids, and they deserve a lot of credit for what they did today. Now we get to come right back here next week to try to do it again."

Senior quarterback Marcus Morrast finished with 108 yards rushing on 20 carries and also threw for 216 yards, completing 15 of 28 passes for the day. The well-balanced rushing attack also saw Daquan Davis post 80 yards on 16 carries and Storm Parker carry the ball seven times for 53 yards on the ground.

On defense, CNU held the prolific offensive attack of Delaware Valley to just 328 yards for the day. The Aggies had been averaging 514 yards per game, and finish their season with a 9-2 record. 

Christopher Newport, Champions of the USA South, recorded its third all-time NCAA win, and first since 2004. The Captains are playing in the 32-team championship for the 10th time in 14 seasons of action. It was the first meeting ever with Delaware Valley.

Kelchner, a native of Pennsylvania, will lead his squad back to the Keystone State next weekend. Christopher Newport will travel to Widener in Chester, PA, next Saturday for a 12:00 p.m. kickoff. Widener is 11-0 and also had to come from behind to beat Muhlenberg in the opening round, 36-35.