A strong performance from quarterback Jimmy Walker and defensive back Heavon Price was not enough to power the Colonials to victory on Senior Day. Robert Morris dropped the game by a final score of 42-17 on a cold afternoon at Joe Walton Stadium.

The offense was limited in the first quarter as both teams combined for 11 possessions in the first 15 minutes. The two teams combined for six punts and two fumbles in the first quarter alone. A Nick Bisceglia field goal attempt was blocked by Bryant after Heavon Price forced the Bulldogs to fumble at their own 30-yard line. The Colonials attempted to put a drive together midway through the quarter with a 19-yard pass from Jimmy Walker to tight end Reggie Green, but a personal foul for a chop block would stall the drive and force the Colonials to punt. Jimmy Walker would throw an interception to close the first quarter.

Bryant wasted no time capitalizing on the interception. Bulldog quarterback Price Wilson threw a touchdown pass to Tom Kennedy on a fourth-and-three play. Robert Morris wasted little time answering, though. On Bryant’s next possession, Heavon Price forced a fumble and looked to be sprinting towards the end zone, but the officials incorrectly ruled that the Bryant runner was down.

After a lengthy review, the call was reversed and the Colonials were given the ball at the Bryant 41. On the next play, Jimmy Walker completed a 41-yard touchdown pass to Tim Vecchio. The Bisceglia extra point knotted the score at 7.

On the next possession for Bryant, Price would come up big again for the Colonials as he picked up his first interception of the year. Robert Morris could not capitalize on the interception though, and the Bulldogs scored on their next possession. Late in the quarter, Price would cement himself as a solid defensive player of the week candidate as he intercepted Bulldog’s quarterback Price Wilson for the second time in the game. It was his second interception of the half and fourth forced turnover.

“You just work hard in practice and listen to the coaches,” said Price after the game. “That’s all there is to it.”

The Colonials would make the interception count with a touchdown pass to tight end Matthew Gonzalez with 35 seconds remaining in the half. Both teams would head to the locker room tied at 14.

Quarterback Price Wilson tallied the only score in the third quarter with a ten-yard run to put the Bulldogs up 21-14.

The Colonials began the fourth quarter deep in the red zone but had to settle for a Bisceglia field goal. The kick put the Bulldogs lead at four, but only momentarily. On the ensuing kickoff, Jean Constant ran 86 yards to return the kickoff for a Bryant touchdown. After the kick return gave Bryant a 28-17 lead, the Colonials fell apart. Robert Morris could not muster the energy to create a drive, and the Bulldogs scored two late touchdowns to end the game.

The end of the game signaled the end of the home football season for the Colonials. Robert Morris will wrap up the season on the road at Central Connecticut State next weekend.

Although the 2017 campaign failed to produce many results in the win column, the Colonials have more than a few reasons to be optimistic for 2018. Quarterback Jimmy Walker will return for his senior campaign in 2018, and Heavon Price and Tim Vecchio each have two years of eligibility remaining. Freshman kicker Nick Bisceglia will look to build from his 2017 performance.

“We’re young, and we’ve got a lot of fight; we just need to finish strong,” said Price.