Gurica ties mark in Hillsdale win

Gurica ties mark in Hillsdale win
Sunday, October 14, 2007
Citizen Patriot staff reports

It was another victory and another record-setting performance Saturday afternoon for the Hillsdale College football team.

The Chargers stayed unbeaten at home with a 35-21 victory over Wayne State at Muddy Waters Stadium, and Nick Gurica tied his own single-season school record for pass receptions in a game with 13.

Gurica, a senior from Adrian, had 13 catches for 167 yards and three touchdowns. Earlier this season, Gurica broke the school record of 11 with 13 catches.

Gurica's record-tying catch couldn't have been bigger. With Hillsdale holding a 28-21 lead, Gurica hauled in a 33-yard touchdown pass from Mark Nicolet for his 13th catch of the game with 5:10 left in the fourth quarter. Earlier in the fourth quarter, Gurica caught a 9-yard touchdown pass with the Chargers trailing 21-20.

Gurica also had a 15-yard touchdown reception the first quarter as Nicolet completed 26 of 33 passes for 312 yards and three touchdowns.

Hillsdale also had its running game in order as Vinnie Panizzi had 158 yards and a touchdown on 28 carries. Panizzi had a 2-yard touchdown run, while Billy Kanitz had a 1-yard touchdown run.

The victory left Hillsdale with a 5-2 record overall and in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. Hillsdale has won five games in each of the last two seasons but has not reached six in a season since 1999 (8-3).

Hillsdale has four games remaining, including two at home (Oct. 27 vs. Tiffin and Nov. 10 vs. Saginaw Valley State) and two on the road (Oct. 20 at Mercyhurst and Nov. 3 at Findlay).