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Saturday, December 11
 
Rowan heads for title game

ALLIANCE, Ohio (AP) -- Mount Union had its NCAA record 54-game winning streak stopped Saturday, losing 24-17 in overtime to Rowan in the NCAA Division III semifinals.

The Purple Raiders hadn't lost since Dec. 2, 1995, when they were beaten 20-17 by Wisconsin-Lacrosse in the Division III championship.

Mount Union (12-1) had won three consecutive national titles, beating Rowan (12-1) for the championship in 1996 and 1998. The Purple Raiders also defeated the Profs for the 1993 championship.

The Purple Raiders beat Otterbein 44-20 on Oct. 16 to surpass the 47-game winning streak set by Bud Wilkinson and his Oklahoma Sooners in 1957.

Mount Union won the coin toss in overtime, but elected to play defense. Rowan scored the go-ahead touchdown on Jason Frabasile's 7-yard run, then held on defense to go to the Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl for the second consecutive season.

On fourth-and-5 at the Rowan 20, Gary Smeck appeared to have hit a leaping Jason Richards near the goal line for a first down and possibly a touchdown.

Richards had the ball momentarily, but three Rowan defenders converged on the receiver and knocked the ball lose, ending the game.

Rowan took a 17-14 lead into the fourth quarter, but Mount Union tied the game on Rodney Chenos' 32-yard field goal with 13:43 left.

Mount Union took a 7-0 lead on its first possession as Smeck capped an 8-play, 92-yard drive with a 13-yard pass to Rob Sondles.

Nick Frade kicked field goals of 20 and 40 yards to cut the Purple Raiders' lead to 7-6 with 6:29 left in the second quarter.

Rowan went up 14-7 at halftime when defensive lineman Tim Watson returned a fumble 33 yards for a score, and Mike Warker tossed a 2-point conversion pass to Scott Litford.

Mount Union made it 14-14 on Smeck's 15-yard TD pass to Chuck Moore with 8:32 left in the third quarter. Frade kicked a 33-yard field goal minutes later for a 17-14 Rowan lead.

Frabasile rushed for 147 yards on 24 carries. Warker completed 17-of-27 for 186 yards.

Moore had 21 carries for 116 yards for Mount Union. Smeck was 20-of-36 for 230 yards with one interception.




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