Game Leaders
Team Stats
Passing Yards
Rushing Yards
Turnovers
Time of Poss.
BIDDEFORD, Maine. – Endicott College defeated the University of New England 66-38 in a high-scoring affair at UNE Blue Storm Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
Steven Abbott intercepted Brian Peters on UNE's opening drive and two plays later the Gulls scored. The Nor'easters forced Endicott to punt on its next possession, but a bad snap set UNE up on the opponent's two-yard line. Peters rushed in from a yard out to knot the game at 7-7.
Endicott used a strong running game, capped by a 23-yard touchdown rush from Greg Ruff to pull ahead 14-7 with 6:56 to go in the first quarter. The Gulls would extend to a 24-7 lead midway through the second half as UNE had trouble getting its offense going.
Long completions to Cobey Johnson and Alex Huff helped the Nor'easters down the field on its next drive and Robert Inniss Jr. booted in a 33-yard field goal to trim the deficit to 24-10 with 3:18 left in the half. Shea McManaway caught a 26-yard pass with under a minute remaining to put the Gulls ahead 31-10 at halftime.
Endicott took its largest lead of the afternoon at 45-10 with 6:51 to go in the third after scores by Ryan Nelson and Justin McEwen.
Peters capped a nine-play, 75-yard drive with a touchdown pass to Alex Huff on the ensuing UNE possession. Endicott answered quickly as quarterback Joe Kalosky broke for a 68-yard score on the first play from scrimmage.
UNE completed another long drive next time and Peters found Jack Mahoney to make the score 52-24 with 3:09 left in the third. The Nor'easters recovered a fumble forced out by Jeremy Diaz to setup its next drive deep in Gulls' territory. Haelin Roberts made a diving catch on fourth down to put UNE at the one and Devon Charles finished with a score up the middle to cut the deficit to 52-31 after three.
After two more touchdowns by the Gulls, R.J. Jenkins broke out on an acrobatic 33-yard touchdown score for the Nor'easters' final points.
Peters was 14-of-33 for 183 yards, two scores and an interception through the air. Charles finished with 45 yards while Mahoney added 43 on the ground. Huff hauled in four catches for 96 yards and a score.
Danny Parker led the defense with 12 tackles while Keegan Stanton-Meas had 11. DJ James made nine stops on the afternoon.
Endicott amassed 659 yards of offense, including 393 on the ground. Ruff finished with 120 yards and two touchdowns and Hakim Flemming added 102 yards rushing. Christian Cole had eight grabs for 117 yards receiving. Defensively, William Rivera led the way for the Gulls with 11 tackles.
UNE is on the road next weekend in a Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) matchup with Western New England. Kickoff in Springfield, Mass. is set for 1 p.m.