University of San Diego junior kicker Brandon Eickert hit a 31-yard field goal with 4:00 remaining, sending St. Thomas to a 27-24 loss Saturday at Torero Stadium in San Diego, California.

In a game highlighted by big defensive plays, the Tommies (1-2, 1-1 Pioneer League) and Toreros (1-4, 1-1) combined for three defensive touchdowns and five interceptions in their first-ever matchup.

The Tommies were unable to recover after Toreros senior linebacker Kama Kamaka returned a fumble 38 yards for a touchdown, tying the game at 24 apiece with 2:59 left in the third quarter.

“I am sickened,” coach Glenn Caruso said in a post-game interview with ESPN Radio. “I am sickened by the inopportunity of us to capitalize and finish.”

The Tommies scored 10 points in the first six minutes of the second half. Sophomore kicker Louis Hyde made a 44-yard field goal, and two plays later, a 22-yard pick-six by sophomore linebacker Jonathan Bunce put the Tommies up 24-14 with 9:17 left in the third.

“The defense outscored the offense,” Caruso said. “Tell me when was the last time that you’ve seen that.”

St. Thomas junior defensive back Johnson Fallah had another interception less than a minute later that gave his team first-and-goal at the 5-yard line. However, the Tommies wasted their opportunity when they failed to convert on fourth-and-five.

“It’s our expectation—it is not a hope, it is not a wish, it is not a need,” Caruso said. “It is our expectation that that is finished, and it did not get finished today.”

After Eickert’s field goal made it 27-24 Toreros, the Tommies still had two more possessions before time ran out. However, five passes fell incomplete and senior quarterback Tommy Dolan was sacked twice.

Although the Tommies only had 152 total receiving yards as compared to San Diego’s 271, they outrushed the Toreros 182 to 92.

St. Thomas was riding high after a 36-0 win over Butler University Sept. 25, while the Toreros were battling a four-game losing streak following a 28-16 loss at Davidson College the same day.

“We were in a position to close the door, and we didn’t, and it is a disappointment to say the least,” Caruso said.

The University of San Diego has a successful history in the Pioneer League, winning six consecutive conference titles from 2014-2019. The team had a 39-game winning streak until it fell to Davidson last spring.

The Tommies hope to extend their28-game home regular-season winning streak when they take on Valparaiso on Saturday, Oct. 9, in St. Thomas’ homecoming game.

Cam Kauffman can be reached at kauf8536@stthomas.edu.
Olivia Paradise can be reached at para4336@stthomas.edu