ANNAPOLIS, Md.. --  Junior wideout Nadir Orsini (Jersey City, N.J.) had a touchdown reception and freshman RB Eriq Harris (Montclair, N.J.) had a rushing score as Caldwell sprint football battled to the finish in a 35-19 defeat at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium on Friday night.

After Navy broke into the scoring column first with 10:29 left in the half, the Cougars answered back on an eight-yard TD pass from senior quarterback Frank DeMaio (Nutley, N.J.) to Orsini with 4:30 left. 

Navy (3-1) scored two quick TDs, aided by a Caldwell turnover, before the Cougars' two-minute offense pushed deep into Navy territory, ending in a 39-yard field goal by junior George Escobar (Belleville, N.J.) as time in the first half expired.

Another Escobar three-pointer, this one of 31 yards with just over five minutes left in the third, pulled the Cougars to within a score at 21-13. After Navy scored a TD on its next possession, the Cougars countered with a seven-play, 49-yard drive which included a key 17-yard run by freshman WR Adrian Mouzone (Passaic, N.J.) and third down conversion run by sophomore RB Devon Turner (Bergenfield N.J.) and capped by a 14-yard TD run by Harris. A two-point conversion attempt failed, leaving the Cougars still very much in the game, trailing, 28-19, with 10:11 left.

But Navy would drive down the field and score a TD of its own for the final, 35-19.

DeMaio finished with 109 yards passing and Turner led the Cougars with 51 on the ground.

Freshman LB Adam Brash (Bayonne, N.J) led the Cougars (2-3) with nine tackles, classmate DL Julian Tavares (Woodbridge, N.J.) totaled eight, and junior DB Amajuwan Murray (Rahway, N.J.)  and junior DB Michael Bonsu (Atlanta) registered seven stops each.

Sophomore LB Kole Levy (Manahawkin, N.J.) also stood out on defense with six tackles, an interception and a QB hurry.

Caldwell next hosts Army West Point at Bonnel Field on Saturday, Nov. 4 at noon.