PLEASANTVILLE, NY (Oct. 9) -- It was a tale of two halves for the Saint Anselm College football team this afternoon against Pace University.
Unfortunately, the second half didn't offer a happy ending.
The Hawks trailed early, battled back to lead at the half, but couldn't muster another point in the second half as the Setters took advantage of two costly and timely turnovers to pull away for a 34-15 Eastern Football Conference victory before a Pace Homecoming crowd of over 600.
The loss dropped the Hawks to 2-3 overall and evened their league record at 2-2. Pace, winners of four of their last five, improved to 4-2 overall and 3-1 in EFC play.
Pace running back Larry Piediscalzo rushed for 135 total yards and a touchdown and quarterback Anthony Gazzillo hit on eight of 17 passing for 169 yards and three touchdowns to lead the Setters. Tom Chisholm had a big day for Pace, grabbing six passes for 124 yards and two touchdowns.
The Hawks offense was much improved over its previous two outings as Hawks quarterback Kyle Van De Giesen hit for 21-43 for 243 yards with two touchdowns but was picked off three times. While Saint Anselm put together 363 total yards of offense, the running game struggled to get into a rhythm. Running back Jon Turner (Foxboro,MA) carried 10 times for 25 yards as the Hawks mustered just 90 yards on the ground. Mike Verroneau led the Hawks with eight catches for 46 yards, while tight end Kevin L'Ecuyer added three catches for 60 yards and a touchdown. Jeff Farragher notched two receptions for 93 yards and a touchdown.
Turnovers were - like last week's 37-29 Hawks win over Assumption - the key to the game. But unlike last week, where the Hawks turned five Assumption turnovers into 24 points, the Hawks turnovers came back to haunt them this time, particularly in the second half, when Pace turned two key turnovers into two touchdowns.
"I think we played pretty well in the first," noted Hawks Head Coach Geoff Harlan. "I think the offense moved the ball pretty well. They got us down a couple of times early, but we answered right back both times and we were happy to turn their last turnover into a half-time lead."
Harlan referred to the Hawks comeback from 7-0 down and 14-6 down to take a 15-14 lead into the half in which they held a slight lead in total yards (194-187).
Pace jumped ahead 7-0 with 2:36 to go in the first on a 48 yard pass play from Gazillo to Chisolm. But Saint Anselm responded right away. On their next possession, Van De Giesen launched a bomb to Farragher who completed an 84 yard play for a 7-6 game with under a minute to go in the quarter.
Pace pulled ahead by eight, 14-6, on their next possession, consuming 70 yards in nine plays that ended with a five yard strike to Chisolm but the Hawks answered right back again.
Van De Giesen led a nine play, 75 yard drive that ended with a 36 yard pass play to L'Ecuyer with 6:55 to go in the half for a 14-12 game.
The Hawks defense was later able to help the Hawks take their first and only lead.
After each team traded two possessions, Hawks linebacker Geoff Raby (Attleboro, MA) intercepted Gazzillo at the Hawks 41 and returned the ball all the way to the Pace 21 with 18 seconds left in the half. A holding penalty on the return brought the ball back to the Pace 27 and three plays later, Erol Senel buried a 34 yard field goal for a 15-14 half-time lead.
The second half started ominously for Saint Anselm .
Pace took its opening drive right at the Hawks and drove the ball down the field highlighted by three big rushing plays of 23, 17 and 11 yards respectively.
"They [Pace] made some adjustments," said Harlan. "They started running right away and were very successful. That set the tone and we struggled to recover."
The drive ate up 70 yards on nine plays and ended with Gazzillo taking it in from one yard out after the Hawks defense had gallantly held on three straight downs on the one yard line.
The turning point of the game came early in the fourth quarter.
Late in the third, Justin Peledge had intercepted a Gazillo pass at the Hawks 48 and returned the ball to the Pace 28. The Hawks marched to the three yard line and were threatening to retake the lead. But on second and goal from the three, Setter Evens Charles-Pierre knocked Van De Giesen from behind jostling the ball loose where the Pace lineman recovered it at the Pace 10.
Two plays later, Piediscalzo broke into open field for a 90 yard scoring run. In three plays, Pace had turned a potential 22-21 deficit into a 28-15 advantage.
Pace turned another interception into a score midway through the fourth. After Adam Zygmunt intercepted Van De Giesen at the Hawks 39 and returned to the Hawks 25, Gazzillo found Piediscalzo for a 25 yard strike on the next play and a 34-15 game.
"Our defense didn't perform as well in the second and we just couldn't finish off on offense" said Harlan, " Those two series of plays were obviously tough to take for us and turning points. We gave up some big plays as a team and you can't give up the big play and expect to win week in an week out."
Brandon Murphy led the Saint Anselm defense with 10 tackles (seven unassisted), and a sack, while Raby added nine (six unassisted) as well as an interception.
The Hawks will look to rebound when they host Bryant College next weekend at 1:00 p.m. at Grappone Stadium. The game is expected to bring in a large crowd as part of the College's Family Weekend festivities.
