ALFRED, NY – The Alfred University football team (4-3, Empire 8 3-2) lost its second Empire 8 game in as many weeks, 30-22, to Utica College on the road Saturday afternoon. The Saxons had not lost Empire 8 games in back-to-back weeks since 2014.
Despite out-gaining their opponents 354 to 313 in total yards, the Saxons dropped their second consecutive game in Empire 8 play to the Pioneers. In addition to total yards gained, AU held an advantage in first downs (15-13), rush yards (102-77), pass yards (252-236), offensive plays (76-64) and time of possession (33:51-26:09). However, turnovers proved costly in the fourth quarter, thwarting the Saxon comeback.
Utica jumped out to an early 13-0 lead in the opening quarter scoring on two pass plays from more than 25 yards out. However, before the end of the first quarter, the Saxons answered back when junior quarterback Ben Burk (Lakewood, NY/Southwestern) hit sophomore Kevin Bragaglia (Holbrook, NY/Sachem North) for a 50-yard touchdown pass. The score is Bragaglia's first career receiving touchdown despite having three receptions for 46-yards or more. At the close of the first stanza, AU trailed Utica 13-7.
Two drives later, the Pioneers set up on their own 20-yard line following a touchback. The first play from scrimmage was intercepted by sophomore Sean Cameron (Brooklyn, NY/Midwood), setting the Saxons up on the Utica 45-yard line. During the opening play of the drive, Burk dropped back and laid a dime into the hands of sophomore Keandre Sanders (Syracuse, NY/Bishop Ludden), finding the end zone and knotting the game up at 13. The game remained tied following the missed PAT.
The AU defense turned around and forced a three-and-out on Utica, compelling a punt that Bragaglia fair caught at midfield. The Saxons offense drove 40 yards on 10 plays over the course of five minutes but were unable to push in for the score, settling for a 27-yard field goal by junior Ben Sennett (Rushville, NY/Marcus Whitman). The score moved to 16-13 in favor of the Saxons, who held on to that margin into the locker room at halftime.
The Pioneers scored the lone touchdown in the third quarter, reassuming the lead, 20-16, following a 29-yard rush. The Saxons accumulated only 28 total yards of offense in the third quarter, with sophomore Nas Smith (Auburn, NY/Auburn) rushing for a net gain of 28 yards.
The Saxons caught a break at the start of the fourth quarter when junior Nick Milgate (Hilton, NY/Hilton) recovered a fumble for the Saxons at the Utica 20-yard line. Despite earning one first down, the AU drive netted -1 yard following a penalty and a sack allowed. Sennett salvaged the drive, hitting a career-high field goal from 39 yards out, bringing the game to 20-19. Sennett's field goal is the second-longest field goal in the Empire 8 during the 2018 season, trailing only Cortland's Nick Mongelli's 40-yarder against the Saxons in week four of the season.
Utica looked to put the game to bed on the next drive, pushing 62 yards on 10 plays into the AU red zone. However, junior Jeremy Turenne (Brooklyn, NY/Midwood) had other plans, picking off the Pioneer quarterback in the end zone, keeping the Saxons alive with 6:57 to go.
With momentum on their side, the Saxons started to march on the Pioneers, pushing into their half following a 40-yard bomb from Burk to Sanders. On third and seven from the Utica 35-yard line, Burk hit Sanders in the flat who fumbled on immediate contact from the Utica defense, which in turn took the fumble to the house, increasing the lead, 27-19, following the score and PAT with only 5:07 to go in the game.
The Saxons' next possession was quickly shut down by an interception, that turned into three more points for the Pioneers, who took the lead 30-19 with 3:40 to go. AU brought the game within one score, 30-22, with 1:47 to go in the game after covering 61 yards on 11 plays to give Sennett the opportunity to hit a 36-yard field goal. However, with no timeouts, the Saxons were unable to stop the clock that was drained by the Pioneers to wrap up the game, 30-22.
Burk led the Saxons with 252 yards on 19-of-40 (47.5%) passing, finding the end zone twice. Sanders accumulated 120 yards on seven receptions while Bragaglia had 59 yards on four receptions. First year Chuck Martin (Olean, NY/Olean) had a career-day with three receptions for 56 yards. Smith rushed the ball 25 times for a total of 87 yards on the ground.
The Saxon defense was paced by junior Leo Pamphile (Spring Valley, NY/Spring Valley) with 10 total tackles including 2.5 tackles for a loss. Milgate finished the game with nine total tackles (1.5 for a loss) and a fumble recovery while senior Cole Reed (Gratz, PA/Upper Dauphin) had seven tackles (1.0 for a loss). Cameron and Turenne had AU's two interceptions on the day while senior Lewis Ortega (Bronx, NY/Herbert H. Lehman) had a forced fumble.
"I'm not happy with our results today, but our guys did fight for 60 minutes," Head Coach Bob Rankl said. "We will get right back to work tomorrow and start preparing for Hartwick."
The Saxons travel to Oneonta, NY next Saturday to take on the Hawks of Hartwick College. Kickoff is at 2PM.