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Game Recap: Football | 9/4/2017 2:04:00 PM | Posted by: Shawn MacDonald (Sports Information Officer)
Gaels lose late lead in loss to No.9 Gee-Gees

Roster

OTTAWA (September 4, 2017) - The Queen's Gaels (0-2) dropped a heartbreaker in Ottawa 14-13 to the No.9 Ottawa Gee-Gees (2-0) in OUA football from Gee-Gees field.

GAME FLOW
The Gaels struggled to get their offence going on their first few drives of the game, but a roughing the kicker call against the Gee-Gees was just was Queen's needed. With their offence back out on the field, Nate Hobbs (Mississauga, Ont.) found Matteo Del Brocco (Kingsville, Ont.) for a 21-yard gain to put Queen's at the Gee-Gees 40.

Jonah Pataki (Wallaceburg, Ont.) then went to work on the ground, picking up another Queen's first down. After Hobbs was taken down for a sack, Nick Liberatore (Dartmouth, N.S.) stepped up and nailed a 38-yard field goal giving Queen's a 3-0 lead.

The advantage for the Gaels was short lived, as the Ottawa offence quickly marched down the field. Kingston product Lewis Ward connected on a 45-yard field goal and the game was tied again at 3-3.

The Gee-Gees offence continued to quickly move the ball up field on the Gaels, but the Queen's defence turned in a pair of big plays with a tackle for a loss followed by a Mike Moore (Mississauga, Ont.) setting the tone for a defensive filled second quarter.

Pataki continued to shine in the opening half for the Gaels with 60-yards on 11 attempts. His work gave Liberatore another shot at a field goal, but the 47-yard attempt knicked the left upright and stayed wide.

Both the Gaels and Gee-Gees defence started to take over the game in the second quarter as neither sides offence could sustain any momentum on drives. The Gaels defence, combined with slick punting from Liberatore gave Queen's the advantage in field position. Hobbs found Jeremy Pendergast (Kingston, Ont.) and Rudy Uhl (North Vancouver, B.C.) on back-to-back plays setting up a Liberatore field goal from 27-yards out to make it 6-3 Queen's.

In the final minute of the opening half, Hobbs took a shot down field to Del Brocco and connected on a 57-yard play. The Gaels settled for another field goal, and Liberatore put Queen's up 9-3 at the half with his 13-yard strike.

The rain started an never let up after halftime, and both teams struggled to move the ball as a result. Queen's defence continued to make big plays as Cam Lawson (Caledon, Ont.) and Nick Dowd (Gananoque, Ont.) each picked up sacks. Liberatore was able to pin the Gee-Gees in their endzone with a punt that resulted in a tackle in the endzone for a single point putting Queen's up 10-3.

After adding a 31-yard field goal to cut the Gaels lead to just 10-6, the Gee-Gees offence went to work again in the fourth. Carter Matheson picked up a big reception deep into the Gaels end, but Ward's field goal attempt was wide left. The kick went out the back of the endzone for a single point making it 10-7 for Queen's.

The Gaels ground game went to work late in the fourth as they looked to control the field and kill the clock. Liberatore nailed another field goal after the Gaels missed a touchdown chance to make it 13-7.

On the resulting kick-off, Ottawa's Jackson Bennett returned the ball 99-yards for a touchdown. A successful Ward extra point gave Ottawa their first lead of the game with just over a minute remaining.

The single point lead held up, and the Gee-Gees stole the win.

FINAL SAY
"Very disappointing for the boys, there was lot's of effort and this is two consecutive great defensive outings. We definitely believed we could bank the field goal but turned the ball over at the end, so it's unfortunate, very unfortunate.

He (Liberatore) had a major assignment today because he was up against Ward who is a terrific kicker. I thought he competed with him and kept us in the ball game." - Pat Sheahan, head coach.

BY THE NUMBERS
127 - Yards rushing for Pataki
5 - Times Liberatore pinned the Gee-Gees inside their 20
2 - 4th quarter losses for the Gaels
1st - Year quarterback Alex Lavric under centre for Ottawa