CARBONDALE—Despite the festival atmosphere surrounding Southern Illinois’ Homecoming Saturday, there was no cakewalk in store for NIU placekicker John Ivanic.

The 5-foot-9 sophomore had to boot a 32-yard field goal with :12 seconds on the clock to determine the Huskies’ fate. Adding to the last-second pressure was Ivanic’s previous 47-yard missed attempt, which marked the first time he had missed two in a row this season.

Lost in the hype of the game-winning kick was the play of several other Huskies, who also deserve credit for the final three-point play. Ivanic’s kick was just icing on the cake cooked up by a series of plays which led to the final score.

A penalty on NIU’s final punt return, with less than three minutes in the game, marked the first of the uncontested yardage gain that would lead to the winning score. Halfback Rodney Taylor had signaled for a fair catch, but he never caught the ball and instead was hit by a Saluki defender, who was penalized 15-yards for catching interference.

But NIU tight end Claude Royster had no problem catching the ball down the stretch.

In the fourth play of the series, quarterback Marshall Taylor connected on a 20-yard pass to Royster to enter Saluki territory with 1:30 on the clock.

However, the next Taylor-Royster connection didn’t come so easy.

It took a combination of Taylor’s quick thinking and Royster’s sure hands to complete a pass reception which helped ensure the Huskies field goal position with less than a minute to play.

While avoiding his possible third sack of the game, Taylor managed to toss the ball to Royster, who caught the underthrown pass for a six-yard gain while dropping to his knees.

“I was supposed to roll out to the left side,” Taylor said, “but then I saw him (Royster). I was falling, but I got it to him and he caught it right on his knees.”

Had Taylor been sacked, it would have been fourth down and 16 on the Saluki 32. Had Royster not made the catch, the Huskies only reasonable shot at a score would have been a 55-yard field goal, eight yards longer than Ivanic’s career best.

At the same time the crucial pass-catch escapade was going on, a confused SIU player was also helping to shorten Ivanic’s field goal range.

The Saluki defender, who was the 12th man on the field, had run off the field , but his teammate told him to go back out. The result was a 15-yard penalty for illegal participation.

“It (the penalty) really hurt us,” SIU first-year coach Rick Rhoades said, “but we still had another chance— he (Ivanic) still had to make the field goal.”

Rhoades might have wished a curse on Ivanic’s kick, but there were few, if any, dressed in cardinal red and black—including Ivanic—who seemed worried about a faulty attempt.

While waiting for the team to line up in field goal formation, a confident Ivanic went through the motions of the kick a couple times, followed by a mocking of the referee’s arm signal for a successful field goal.

“I’m not perfect,” Ivanic said, “but they (his teammates) know I’ll be there for them. I had to get it in my mind I was going to make it.”

Piece of cake.