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WEST CHESTER, Pa. - Redshirt senior quarterback Chris Palubinsky (Ringtown, Pa./Shenandoah Valley) scored on a one-yard keeper with 1:39 left in regulation and seniors Eric Schwartz (York, Pa./Central York) and Darnell Baldwin (Philadelphia, Pa./Lankenau) came up with interceptions on the final two drives of the game as the Bloomsburg University football team stunned West Chester University, 20-19, in front of nearly 3,700 fans at John A. Farrell Stadium on Saturday afternoon. With the victory, the Huskies improved to 5-2 overall and 3-1 in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Eastern Division standings. The Golden Rams, meanwhile, dropped to identical records of 5-2 overall and 3-1 in league play.

The win moved the Huskies into a four-way tie for first place in the PSAC East along with West Chester, Shippensburg, and Kutztown. The Raiders defeated Cheyney on Saturday afternoon while the Golden Bears took care of East Stroudsburg. Meanwhile, the Huskies improved to just 27-49 lifetime against West Chester and just 8-29 against the Golden Rams on the road.

After the Golden Rams took a 19-14 lead with 7:39 left on a 20-yard touchdown run by Jarel Elder, the Huskies came up with, arguably, the drive of the game to reclaim the lead. After a 26-yard kickoff return from freshman Chris Monaco (Pocono Pines, Pa./Pocono Mountain West), Bloomsburg went 65 yards on 12 plays in a possession that took six minutes off the clock, culminating with Palubinsky's one-yard touchdown plunge with 1:39 left in regulation. During the drive, the Huskies converted a pair of fourth downs - the first on a one-yard keeper by Palubinsky on fourth-and-one from the West Chester 40 and the latter coming on a pass interference call against the Golden Rams on a fourth-and-nine from the 26. After the penalty, redshirt sophomore Qmac Quiteh (Tobyhanna, Pa./Pocono Mountain West) rushed up the middle for 17 yards to set up a first-and-goal from the one. Two plays later, Palubinsky was in the endzone to give the Huskies a 20-19 advantage. Bloomsburg went for two but Palubinsky's pass was jarred loose out of the hands of sophomore Ethan Price (Coopersburg, Pa./Southern Lehigh) and fell incomplete.

On the ensuing possession, West Chester quarterback Paul Dooley was intercepted by Schwartz on the second play from scrimmage to give the Huskies the ball back with 1:27 left. Bloomsburg, however, went three-and-out to give the Golden Rams one final opportunity with 16 seconds remaining. Dooley hit Marcus Sydnor down the left sideline for a 38-yard gain to the West Chester 46, setting up one final heave towards the endzone with five seconds left. But, an excellent pass rush by the Huskies forced Dooley's throw a little short of the goal line and Baldwin picked off the pass at the 12-yard line to seal the victory.

Bloomsburg put the first points on the scoreboard with just 3:22 left in the opening half when Palubinsky found redshirt sophomore Michael Allen (Oley, Pa./Oley Valley) in the endzone from five yards out. Facing a third-and-three from the West Chester five, Palubinsky rolled out to his left and threw across his body to find Allen who was able to drag his right foot in-bounds for his team-leading fourth receiving touchdown of the season. Redshirt junior Ryan Abbott (Hagerstown, Md./Saint James School) added the extra point for a 7-0 Bloomsburg lead. The score capped off a 15-play, 73-yard drive that took 7:21 off the clock. The drive appeared to have stalled when Palubinsky was picked off by Quintin Smith at the West Chester 20, but Smith was flagged for pass interference to keep the march downfield alive.

The hosts answered with a 12-play, 70-yard drive as Elder scored on a one-yard touchdown run - his first of three scores on the afternoon - with 21 seconds left in the opening half. However, redshirt junior Nate Monroe (Harrisburg, Pa./Bishop McDevitt) was able to block George Lambritsios' point after attempt to keep the Huskies in front, 7-6, as the teams headed to their respective locker rooms for halftime. The block by Monroe would later prove to be the difference in the contest.

Elder gave the Golden Rams their first lead of the game with 11:37 left in the third quarter when he scampered 10 yards for a touchdown on the first possession of the second half. Lambritsios nailed the extra point as West Chester took a 13-7 advantage.

On the Huskies' opening drive of the half, Bloomsburg marched down the field and appeared to have reclaimed the lead when Palubinsky found paydirt on a scramble from eight yards out. However, a holding call against the Huskies nullified the score. On the very next play, Palubinsky found Quiteh on an 18-yard screen pass for again, what appeared to be a Huskies' touchdown. However, another holding call kept Bloomsburg off the scoreboard again and set up a third-and-27 from the West Chester 28. After a two-yard gain by Quiteh, Abbott was called upon to attempt a 43-yard field goal but his kick came up short and West Chester kept its six-point lead intact.

West Chester went three-and-out on its next possession and the Huskies, this time, took advantage. Bloomsburg drove 60 yards on three plays capped off by redshirt sophomore Alex Gooden (Parkesburg, Pa./Octorara) powering his way into the endzone from eight yards out with 2:50 left in the third quarter and, after Abbott nailed the point after, the Huskies led 14-13. The drive was aided by a 51-yard pass down the left sideline from Palubinsky to Price which set up first-and-goal from the eight.

Elder gave the Golden Rams the lead back with his 20-yard touchdown run - his third rushing score of the game - with 7:39 left in the fourth quarter. West Chester, however, could not convert the two-point conversion and the Golden Rams led 19-14, setting up the Huskies' late-game heroics.

Bloomsburg outgained West Chester, 376-356, but, more importantly, allowed only 19 points to a Golden Rams' team that came in averaging 42.3 points per game - tops in the PSAC and ninth in the country. The Huskies were able to keep the Golden Rams' offense off the field as Bloomsburg held the ball for more than 35 minutes on the day. Both teams had success running the football as Bloomsburg amassed 234 yards on the ground while West Chester had 250. Through the air, Bloomsburg held the edge, 142-106.

Quiteh led the Huskies with a career-high 121 yards rushing on 21 carries - his third 100-yard effort of the season. Gooden, meanwhile, added 87 yards and a score on only ten carries. Most of his yardage came on a 68-yard burst during the second quarter. Redshirt freshman fullback Jack Gaugler (Mount Pleasant Mills, Pa./Selinsgrove) set new career-highs in carries (5) and rushing yards (37). He had a career-long 23-yard run in the third quarter.

Palubinsky was erratic early but settled down and really got into a rhythm down the stretch. He finished the day completing 12-of-24 for 142 yards and one touchdown. Price was his favorite target as he caught three passes for a career-high 86 yards. Allen caught four for 30 yards and the touchdown.

Elder led West Chester with 171 rushing yards and three scores on 23 carries. Dooley carried the ball six times for 44 yards but really struggled throwing the football as he finished just 8-of-19 for 106 yards and three interceptions. Rasheem James had five catches for 37 yards.

Defensively, Monroe led the Huskies with seven total tackles and the blocked extra point. Baldwin finished with six stops and the interception on the final play of the game. Schwartz finished with four tackles to go along with his pick. Freshman Jordan Villafane (East Stroudsburg, Pa./Stroudsburg) had the other Huskies' interception - the first of his collegiate career - late in the first quarter.

Tyler Morrissey led the Golden Rams with 15 total tackles and two tackles for a loss.

Bloomsburg will be back on the road next Saturday, October 21, when it heads to East Stroudsburg University. Start time is scheduled for 4:00 p.m. The Warriors lead the all-time series, 44-41-2, but the Huskies have won 16 of the last 20 meetings between the two schools including a 35-14 win at Redman Stadium last season.