It was, they all agreed, the toughest way for a senior-dominated defense to end the regular season.

After playing a solid, frequently brilliant game against a BCS-worthy opponent, the Warriors defense watched helplessly as Cincinnati's Mardy Gilyard sprinted into the end zone to cap a 19-0 second-half rally and steal a game that the Warriors seemed to own.

"We played our game and we played well, but they just made one more play than we did," said Keao Monteilh, one of nine senior defensive starters last night.

The Warriors were prepared to face what had been a potent Bearcats' passing game, but Cincinnati instead attacked from the ground, sending running backs John Goebel and Isaiah Pead barreling through the line of scrimmage.

"It was a different offense that the one we studied on tape," said UH defensive lineman Keala Watson, who blocked a field goal in the second quarter that was recovered by Solomon Elimimian and returned 37 yards. "But we made our adjustments and I think we played them tough."

Indeed, with cornerback Ryan Mouton disrupting the passing lanes and Watson, Adam Leonard, David Veikune and John Fonoti providing the pressure, the Warriors held the Bearcats without an offensive touchdown from the end of the second quarter to late in the game.

Elimimian led the team with 11 sacks (six solo). Veikune added seven tackles and a sack. The Warriors also notched two interceptions, both set up by Mouton, for 22 combined return yards.

"We just had a few bad possessions that they were able to take advantage of," said defensive lineman Joshua Leonard. "We stopped the pass early, so they started running it. We made adjustments, but they hurt us with all their screens and draws."

The Bearcats took an early 3-0 lead off a field goal by Jake Rogers, but the Warriors defense stopped Cincinnati on its next two possessions, first off an interception by Monteilh and then by Watson's blocked field goal.

After a fiery halftime address by head coach Greg McMackin, the defense shut down the Bearcats in the third quarter, drawing energy from David Farmer's 1-yard touchdown run and quarterback Greg Alexander's two-yard touchdown shovel pass to Malcolm Lane after the Warriors recovered a fumble on the kickoff.

The Bearcats could manage just six yards on their ensuing possession. Then the defense sacked Cincinnati quarterback Tony Pike twice and Mouton broke up a Tony Pike pass and Desmond Thomas intercepted.

The Warriors' strong defensive play held despite a Cincinnati interception for touchdown and a safety that ripped away the Warriors' 14-point safety net. Then on first-and-10 from the Bearcats' 31, reserve Dustin Grutza hooked up with Ginyard for a back-breaking touchdown.

"We were in a two-man under and the quarterback looked like he was going to get sacked," Thomas said. "He was scrambling so we tried to shift our zone over, but then he came back and threw it. (Gilyard) was in kind of a dead zone, but he caught the ball and made a play."

It was a heartbreaking loss for a defense determined to send its seniors off the right way.

"We knew it was our last game and we just wanted to make our family and friends who came to see us proud," said defensive lineman Fale Laeli. "It wasn't the result we wanted, but I thought we played hard and did ourselves proud."

Said Watson: "We played our heart out and I'm really proud of all the guys out there tonight. We didn't get the win, but we played a great game against a very good football team. You have to give (Cincinnati) credit. They came up with the plays they needed, but I'm happy with the way we played."

The UH defense will look radically different next season, but Thomas said performances like last night's will help ensure that the Warriors' tradition of gritty play will continue.

"We might not be known for having the kind of athletes you have in the SEC, but we come to play," he said. "We don't back down, and that tradition is going to carry on here."