Box Score RALEIGH, N.C. - Saint Augustine's University almost erased a 10-point fourth-quarter deficit but fell short in a 26-25 CIAA football loss to Elizabeth City State University at John H. Baker Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 5, 2013.

Roderick Davenport (R-Soph./Orangeburg, S.C.) scored on a two-yard run and Alex Tucker (Sr./Union, S.C.) kicked the extra point to narrow the deficit to 26-23 with 10:37 left in the fourth quarter. The Falcons drove to the Vikings' 19 on the next possession but were stopped on fourth down-and-one. The following St. Aug possession ended with an interception at the Vikings' goal line after the Falcons moved to the ECSU 18 with 44 seconds left.

The Falcons regained possession with 15 seconds left after the Vikings took an intentional safety which pulled the Falcons within one point. A pass by Brian Richards (R-Sr./Waldorf, Md.) to Jordan Turkvant (R-So./Orangeburg, S.C.) on a trick play placed the ball at midfield. The Falcons were able to run only one more play before time expired.

Richards, who set the University career receptions mark last week, caught six passes for 87 yards for the Falcons. Quarterback A.J. Gilford (R-Fr./Savannah, Ga.) completed 11 of 22 pass attempts for 93 yards and also rushed 12 times for 55 yards but threw two interceptions. Davenport rushed 15 times for 61 yards and a touchdown and JjShaun Pinkston (R-Sr./Mooresville, N.C.) gained 50 yards on 11 carries for the Falcons, who rushed for 164 yards.

Petey Boone of the Vikings led all rushers with 129 yards on 26 carries as ECSU gained 208 yards on the ground. Kenny King scored two touchdowns on short runs and quarterbacks Casey Turner and Tyrell Houghton combined for 14 of 23 pass attempts for 130 yards.

On defense, linebacker Chaz Robinson (Sr./Hampton, Va.), the CIAA tackles leader, led both teams with 14 tackles and linebacker Carlton Butts (Jr./Thomasville, Ga.) added 10 tackles. John'ta Cooper (Jr./Cairo, Ga.) intercepted two passes and Kharea Roseboro picked off a pass for a score for the Falcons. Defensive back Malcolm Cherry led the Vikings with seven tackles and intercepted a pass.

The Falcons scored on the opening drive in five plays. On the game's first play, Gilford handed the ball off to Pinkston only for Pinkston to pitch the ball back to Gilford, who found a wide-open Richards for a 51-yard gain. Pinkston capped the drive with a one-yard scoring run and Tucker booted the extra point for a 7-0 lead with 13:20 in the first quarter.

Cooper intercepted a pass on ECSU's first possession but the Vikings held after a missed field goal attempt. The Vikings eventually scored in the first quarter on King's short run at the 5:44 mark. The extra point attempt failed.

The Vikings gained the lead on another short run by King with 2:19 left in the first quarter. The extra point attempt was good for a 13-7 score.

Boone extended the Vikings' lead with a one-yard run with 4:00 left in the second quarter. Dominque Marsh (Jr./Norfolk, Va.) blocked the extra point attempt and Jermaine Jones (R-Sr./Wilmington, N.C.) scooped up the ball and scored on a long two-point return for the Falcons to make the score 19-9. The score stayed that way at halftime.

Roseboro scored on a 33-yard interception return and Tucker made the extra point attempt to slice the Vikings' lead to 19-16 with 4:40 remaining in the third quarter. The Vikings responded on the next drive with a 26-yard quarterback run up the middle by Houghton to stretch the lead back to 10 points at 26-16 with 1:34 left in the third quarter.

The Falcons are back at home again on Saturday, Oct. 12, 2013. They will host Livingstone College in a Homecoming contest starting at 2 p.m.