Football Earns Big Win over Assumption 49-23 on Homecoming
NORTH ANDOVER, MA – The Merrimack football team bounced
back on Homecoming Weekend, racking up 35 first half points and
forcing four turnovers, scoring twice on defense to defeat
Assumption College 49-23 in front of 2,431 fans at windy Warrior
Field.
The win sets up a big showdown for first place next Saturday at
1 p.m. between the Warriors (3-3, 3-1 NE-10) and New Haven in
Connecticut. The Chargers improved to 4-1 in the conference after
defeating AIC on Saturday.
The Warriors took a 21-7 lead after the first quarter, with
Greg
Abelli (Billerica, MA) setting up all three scores
with receptions of 46, 46 and 49 yards on consecutive drives to
move the ball deep into the Greyhound side of the field. Anthony
Smalls (Dorchester, MA) scampered in from one and
three yards on the first and third drive, while James Suozzo
(Everett, MA) rushed into the end zone from two yards out
on the Warriors' second drive.
For the fourth time this season, Abelli was over 100 yards in
the first quarter, catching four passes for 146 yards.
Assumption closed Merrimack's lead to 21-16 late in the second
with a touchdown and a safety and was driving late in the half,
looking to take the lead, but Michael Jones
(Chicago, IL) picked off Andrew Kupec and returned it 90
yards for his first career touchdown, completely changing the
momentum into the hands of the hosts.
Four plays later, John Kravic (Red
Hook, NY) blocked the punt and Jones pounced on it at the
Assumption 35-yard line. One play later, Suozzo hit Omari Mobley
(Baltimore, MD) in the end zone, giving Merrimack the
35-16 lead at halftime, despite possessing the ball for just 10:36
in the first 30 minutes.
Merrimack was held scoreless in the third, playing into the
fierce wind but limited Assumption to just one touchdown, a 22-yard
reception by Mark Gately to cut the lead to 35-23.
Suozzo and Smalls took over from there, putting the game away,
as the junior quarterback rushed into the end zone from eight yards
out to cap an 8-play, 43-yard drive that featured a fourth-down
rush by Suozzo for a first down after scrambling and avoiding
numerous tacklers.
After throwing for 216 yards in the first half, Suozzo finished
with 216 total yards and one touchdown passing, making just seven
completions, all in the first half, as the Warriors heavily ran the
ball into the strong wind. Abelli finished with 157 yards on five
receptions, while Smalls rushed for 74 yards and two scores.
Merrimack's defense was impressive, forcing four turnovers and
limiting Kupec to just 24 completions on 61 passes. Senior captain
Garrett
Boyd (Newburyport, MA) had a strong day on the
defensive line, breaking up four passes and returning an
interception for his first career score, while Ian Weaver (Brooklyn,
CT) notched his first collegiate interception midway
through the fourth.
Assumption, which had beaten two Division I teams this season,
including Fordham, dropped to 5-2 overall and 2-2 in the conference
with the loss, its second in three games.
