PITTSBURGH, Pa. - Viking football set sail to the north for a top 25 showdown on Saturday afternoon, where they were outlasted by a final score of 17-9.
The game began with a couple of positive plays that set up an early third-and-short for the Vikings. Out of the gun, Andrew Hunter would settle into his drop back and fire a strike to Colby Sikes for a huge 23-yard gain and a Viking first down. Now on the plus side of the field, the Viking drive would halt due to a strong stand from the Tartan defense.
Punter Miles Hamby sent through a beauty of a punt despite a defender in his face, pinning Carnegie Mellon on their own five-yard line with just over nine minutes left in the first quarter. Just when the Berry defense was on the verge of getting off the field, Carnegie Mellon's Joey McGinnis slashed through a hole and erupted for a 73-yard gain before being stopped by Cade Petty, who saved a touchdown. Now in the red zone, the Viking defense peeled their ears back and dug their heels in to keep the Tartans away from pay dirt, as Petty yet again tracked down a ball carrier on third down to hold them to a field goal.
Now behind 0-3, the Viking offense got going with a third-down scamper from Andrew Hunter, who evaded defenders to pick up 10 yards and a first down. Another third-down conversion kept the drive alive, as Hunter danced around the pocket and delivered a strike to Nate Lyons for another first down. An explosive run from Sikes set up the Vikings near the red zone, as the boys in white and navy edged closer to taking the lead. A third-down stop from the Tartans led to Trey Richards using his leg to tie the game up at 3 with 14:16 left in the second quarter. A tackle for loss from Dawson Livingston thwarted a response from Carnegie Mellon, as the Berry offense was set up at their own 40-yard line with 11:40 to go in the half.
On a third and ten, the Carnegie Mellon quarterback elected to take a shot downfield, but Brooks Thompson was having none of it, as he lunged into the sight line of the intended receiver and batted the ball away to set up the Viking offense again. An empty possession from Berry then led to a convincing drive from the Tartans, as McGinnis connected with a receiver who dashed past a Viking and scored the first touchdown of the game, making the score 3-10, with 5:12 left in the first half. Another fruitless offensive crusade led to another long drive from Carnegie Mellon, as they found themselves at the Viking thirty-yard line with just over a minute left in the half. A couple of costly Tartan holding penalties due to the relentless attack of the Viking defensive line led to a second down and 36 that ultimately ended the half, with the Vikings still trailing by seven.
A potent third quarter from the Tartans on both sides of the ball left the Vikings searching for answers and facing a 14-point deficit heading into the fourth quarter.
Just when things began to look bleak for the Vikings, defensive back Chaz Pope tracked a tipped pass from Carnegie Mellon and came down with a crucial interception to keep the Vikings in it with 13:33 left to play in the fourth.
Despite two more empty offensive possessions, the Viking defense held strong twice more to get the Vikings one last chance with 2:39 to play and a two-score deficit. Later in that drive, Hunter connected with Brendan Gray for a drive-making 26-yard gain that kept Berry's hopes alive. A few plays later, that same connection resulted in the first Viking touchdown of the day to bring the Vikings within 8 points with 53 seconds left.
An unsuccessful onside kick would dissolve this one for the Tartans though, outlasting the Vikings 17-9.
The Vikings will be in action again on October 4th as they return to Valhalla to take on Rhodes College on Alumni Day at 1 PM ET.
