Smithfield, R.I. (September 11) -- Taking on
its first Division I opponent since the 2003 season, the Saint
Anselm football team dropped a 44-21 final to Football Championship
Subdivision opponent Bryant University on Saturday afternoon in
front of 1,867 fans at a sunny Bulldog Stadium.
Prior to the start of today's game, both teams observed a
moment of silence in recognition of the ninth anniversary of
September 11, 2001 and the attack on the World Trade Center in New
York, the Pentagon and United Flight 93 that crashed in
Pennsylvania.
After a three and out by the Hawks on the game's first
possession, Bryant took possession at midfield and capped off the
scoring drive with a 19-yard rush off the left tackle by sophomore
Jordan Brown (Glastonbury, Conn.) for the TD just
4:22 into the opening quarter.
With the score 7-0 after the first period, the Bulldogs took
advantage of a Hawk turnover to make the score 14-0 with 13:24 left
in the second quarter. After Bryant pinned Saint Anselm at the two
yard line on a punt, Hawk quarterback Michael Pierce
(Andover, Mass.) had his pass from the end zone
intercepted by Samad Wagstaff (New Rochelle,
N.Y.), who returned it 23 yards to the two-yard line.
Senior Michael Canfora (Verona, N.J.) rumbled in
for Bryant on the next play, rushing up the middle for the
score.
Midway through the second quarter, Bryant got a 61-yard rush
down the near sideline from Brown, down to the five yard line to
set up a first-and-goal for the Bulldogs. On third down, Bryant
tried to connect in the back of the end zone, but the pass from
Mike Croce (Waterbury, Conn.) was picked off by
Saint Anselm's Mark Colantonio (Londonderry,
N.H.) to end the scoring threat by Bryant.
The Bulldogs did make it a 21-0 score with 4:13 left in the
first half though as Franck Tebou (Mattapoisett,
Mass.) blocked the punt by Shea Cerio (Canastota,
N.Y.), which Tebou then recovered at the two yard line.
Two plays later, Brown scored his second TD of the day to extend
the Bryant lead late in the half. Bryant extended the lead to 27-0
with 2:38 left as Wagstaff picked off his second Pierce pass of the
day, returning it 53 yards for the touchdown.
Saint Anselm got on the board with 1:20 left as Pierce found
freshman Justin Bernard (Cambridge, Mass.) wide
open on the right side for the 37-yard scoring pass to cut the lead
to 27-7.
The Hawks tried an onside kick to start the third quarter, but
the Bulldogs took advantage and returned the kick to the Saint
Anselm 22-yard line. After a 15-yard rush by Canfora made it a
first-and-goal situation, the Hawks held the Bulldogs to a 22-yard
field goal by Chris Bird (Monument Beach, Mass.)
for the 30-7 score. Bryant added to the lead midway through the
quarter as Brown scored his third rushing touchdown of the
afternoon, dodging a pair of Hawk tacklers for the nine-yard score
and the 37-7 advantage.
The Hawks inserted junior Marc Wilson (Farmington,
Conn.) at quarterback for the ensuing series and on the
third down play, he was picked off to set up a nine-yard touchdown
run by Canfora to make it a 44-7 score with 5:51 left in the third.
Wilson picked up the second Hawk touchdown of the game with 3:35
left in the third as he pulled down a nine-yard touchdown pass from
Pierce to make it a 44-14 score. Wilson was split wide left, pulled
down the pass at the two yard line and scrambled in for the score.
The score was set up by a 26-yard rush up the sideline by Wilson
and a 19-yard reception by senior Marcel Bouie (Stone
Mountain, Ga.).
Saint Anselm cut the lead down to 44-21 with 7:20 left as Pierce
found a wide open Brandon Gomes (Riverside, R.I.)
behind the Bulldog defensive backs as he scored from 43 yards out
for his third scoring pass of the day.
Pierce finished 22-of-37 for 230 yards and three touchdowns,
while freshman Keith Charles (Laurel, Md.)
finished with 19 carries for 52 yards. Wilson was the leading
receiver for the Hawks, pulled down seven catches for 52 yards on
the day with one touchdown. Sophomore safety Ethan Sylvain
(East Montpelier, Vt.) led the Hawks with 10 tackles on
the afternoon.
With the loss, Saint Anselm falls to 0-2 overall, while the
Bulldogs improve to 2-0 on the season with their second straight
home victory. The all-time series now stands at 7-3 in favor of
Bryant.
Saint Anselm returns to the field on Saturday, September 18 as
the Hawks host Bentley University for a 1 p.m. start at Grappone
Stadium. The game is the 2010 Homecoming for Saint Anselm, with
more information available this week at athletics.anselm.edu. The
game will also be available live online at www.saintanselmhawks.tv,
which will be launched this week, in conjunction with the Pack
Network. The pregame show will begin approximately 10 minutes
before kickoff.
