USD Comes Up Short Against La Verne, 21-19

The University of San Diego scored 16 points in the fourth quarter Saturday, but the Toreros’ rally fell short as host La Verne held on for a 21-19 nonconference victory.

USD quarterback Pat Dixon set a school record for pass attempts, completing 22 of 57 for 290 yards and 2 touchdowns with 4 interceptions. The previous record was 48 attempts by Eric Sweet, also against La Verne, in 1982.

Trailing 14-3 going into the final quarter, Dixon hit Jeff Mansukhani with a 27-yard touchdown pass to make the score 14-9. But La Verne (1-1) put the game away when defensive back Steve Blair, from Fallbrook High School, intercepted his second pass of the night and returned it 36 yards for a score.

USD (1-1) got a safety with 48 seconds left when La Verne quarterback Mark Brown ran out of the end zone. Dixon hit Sam McDermott with a 10-yard scoring pass with five seconds to go and then ran in the two-point conversion for the final score.

Mansukhani caught seven passes for 131 yards and 1 touchdown to lead the Toreros, who were held to 20 yards rushing. La Verne’s Edwin Fletcher rushed 22 times for 105 yards.