Merrimack Puts Perfect Conference Record on the Line as it Travels to Assumption on Friday
MERRIMACK FOOTBALL
Game #6 at Assumption, Friday, October 14, 2011, 7 p.m., Multi-Sports Stadium
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MERRIMACK PUTS PERFECT CONFERENCE RECORD ON THE LINE ASIT TRAVELS TO ASSUMPTION ON FRIDAY
Game 6 - Merrimack College (4-1, 3-0 NE-10) vs. Assumption (2-4, 1-3 NE-10)
UPDATE:
Merrimack hits the road as they try to keep their perfect conference record intact as they head to Assumption for a Friday night game.
SERIES:
Merrimack is 12-3 lifetime against the Assumption Greyhounds, including winning four of the last five contests and scoring an average of 36.4 points per game.
WARRIORS RECEIVE VOTES IN AFCA DIVISION II COACHES' POLL:
The Merrimack football team received nine votes this week in the AFCA Division II coaches' poll announced on Monday. The nine votes received by Merrimack are the most since the arrival of head coach John Perry in 2008. Merrimack is coming off of an emotional 33-29 comeback victory against the Bentley Falcons, a game that the Warriors did not lead until the fourth quarter.
CLANCY PROPELS THE WARRIORS TO VICTORY AGAINST BENTLEY:
Junior quarterback Joe Clancy entered the game Saturday early on in the second quater and the high flying offense did not skip a beat as he drove the Warriors down the field for a touchdown off of a perfectly thrown fade to the corner of the end zone to Omari Mobley for the first touchdown of the day. With his team trailing 29-26 entering the fourth quarter, Clancy connected on a career-long 83 yard scoring strike to his favorite target Isaiah Voegeli. Clancy finished the day with 159 yards and two touchdowns.
PERRY'S HIGH-SCORING OFFENSE RETURNS:
John Perry's high scoring offense is back at it in 2011 as they are first in the NE-10 and third nationally in total yards per game (519.0). The Warriors are also ranked first in the NE-10 and third nationally in points per game (46.6). The offense is led by junior wide receiver Isaiah Voegeli who is ranked second in the nation in receiving yards per game (144.4), tied for fifth in total receiving yards (722) and tied for fourth in total receivingtouchdowns (8).
LOISEAU LEADS DEFENSE WITH 12 MORE TACKLES, NEARS SCHOOL RECORD:
Senior preseason All-American Shawn Loiseau was all over the field Saturday afternoon as he recorded 12 tackles and his fourth consecutive game of 10 plus tackles. Loiseau recorded a half sack in the victory to push his total to 3.5 sacks on the year. Loiseau has notched at least one tackle for a loss in every game for the Warriors this year. He is 6 tackles shy of breaking the school-record for tackles in a career which is 325.
VOEGELI BREAKS THE 100 YARD RECEIVINGPLATEAU ONCE AGAIN:
Isaiah Voegeli tallied his fourth 100 yard receiving performance in five games as he hauled in five catches for 154 yards and one touchdown. Voegeli recorded his eighth receiving touchdown of the season off of a season long 83 yard scoring strike from Joe Clancy early in the fourth. Voegeli has recorded at least five catches, 135 yards and one touchdown in each win this season.
MERRIMACK SCORES 233rd POINT OF SEASON:
Merrimack recorded 33 points against Bentley to bring their seasontotal to 233 points in five games. The 46.6 points per game istops in the NE-10 and third in the nation for the season. The Warriors have scored 60 or more points two times this season,which makes them the only team in the NE-10 to do so.
SUOZZO THROWS FOR 124 AND RUNS FOR 58 MORE:
Quarterback James Suozzo led the way on the ground for the Warriors as he recorded 58 yards on 13 carries and a touchdown. Suozzo broke free on a 38 yard touchdown scamper on the opening drive of the second half to cutthe Falcons lead to three. The touchdown run was Suozzo's sixth rushing touchdown on the year which is a team-high. Suozzo was also 9-17 for 124 yards throwing the ball, including a 42 yard strike to Voegeli to seal the victory for the Warriors.
SPREADING OUT THE WEALTH:
Seven Warriors recorded at least one catch in the 33-29 victoryon Saturday afternoon in front of the home crowd. Omari Mobley led the team with six catches for 46 yards and a touchdown.Voegeli recorded a game-high 154 yards and a touchdown and James Suozzo chipped in with his first catch of the season.
DEFENSE SHINES AGAINST BENTLEY:
The Merrimack defense looked confused and battered in the first half on Saturday afternoon, but in the second half they set thetone early and often. Early in the third quarter after a Matt Tripicchio sack, Bentley's starting quarterback Bryant Johnsonwas hurt and was unable to return. This injury sparked a dominating second half for the defense as they held Bentley scoreless for the final 30 minutes. The Warriors defense recorded three sacks for 18 yards, three interceptions for 42 yards and 12 quarterbackhurries on the afternoon. The Warriors defense is allowing only 19.0 points per game in 2011 through five games. They have caused 17 turnovers, two defensive touchdowns and one safety on the young season. They have also recorded 21 sacks,which is good for second in the NE-10. The defense is ranked tenth nationally in sacks per game with 3.6.
VOEGELI SECOND IN COUNTRY IN YARDS PER GAME:
Junior wide receiver Isaiah Voegeli is ranked second in the country in receiving yards per game with 144.4. Voegeli had 154 receiving yards and one touchdowns last week against Bentley and 135 yards and one touchdowns in their previous victory against Saint Anselm. Voegeli is also tied for fifth in the country with eight receiving touchdowns on the season.
TOUGH AT HOME:
Merrimack has won 10 of its last 12 games in front of its home crowd at Martone-Mejail field. The Warriors are averaging 40.1 points per game in their last 12 home contests while holding their opponents to an average of 20.8 points per game.
LOISEAU INCHES CLOSER TO SCHOOL RECORD:
After setting the all-time school mark for tackles in a season in 2009 and again in 2010, Shawn Loiseau needs 6 tackles to tie theall-time mark of 325 (Jimmy Festa, 1996-99) after getting 12 against Bentley on Saturday. Loiseau has 58 tackles so far in 2011 and needs 83 tackles to match the all-time Northeast-10 mark of 402 (Steve Sheeler, Stonehill, 2000-03).
3RD DOWN DEFENSE MUCH IMPROVED:
Merrimack's defense is ranked third in the country in 3rd down efficiency at 20.9. The defense has forced third down 67 times on the season and have only yielded 14 first downs.
JOHNSON SECOND IN NE-10 IN SACKS:
Tony Johnson is second in the conference with 5.5 sacks and Merrimack leads the league as a team with 21 sacks. After setting the single-season school record in 2008 as a freshman with 11.5 sacks, which ranked second in the country, Tony Johnson enters the game this week with 34 career sacks, most in school history.
SECONDARY CONTINUES SOLID PLAY:
The junior laden secondary of the Warriors has came up big early on this year as they have combined for nine interceptions through five games. Leading the way is senior Ian Weaver who has recorded a team-high three interceptions so far this year which is good for ninth in the nation with an average of .75 per game.
SUOZZO NEARS NUMEROUS SCHOOL RECORDS:
Already the program's leader for touchdowns in a game, points in a game, pass attempts, yards for a season, and completions for agame and season, James Suozzo is closing in on virtually every quarterback school record. Suozzo needs 15 touchdowns, 1,403 passing yards, 129 completions, and 282 attempts for the school record for a career. He has an outside shot at the career rushing records, needing 182 attempts and 1,045 yards this season.
SPECIAL TEAMS IS KEY TO EARLY SUCCESS:
The Merrimack special teams units have a couple of players who are ranked in the top ten in the nation in certain categories including Artis Holt who is second in the country in kickoff return average (38.0) and Isaiah Voegeli who is sixth in the countryin punt return average (21.62).
FOWLER BLOCKS KICK AGAIN FOR WARRIORS:
Junior cornerback Jesse Fowler has put together an impressive start to his 2011-12 season as he has recorded 13 tackles, one interception and three pass breakups. But no stat is more impressive then the two block kicks that Fowler has recorded. Fowler blocked a field goal attempt at Saint Anselm on October 1 and blocked an extra point last week in the victory against Bentey.
2011 NE-10 PRESEASON POLL:
1. New Haven (6) – 59
2. So. Connecticut (2) – 58
3. Merrimack (1) – 47
4. Bentley – 43
5. American Int'l – 42
6. Assumption – 28
7. Stonehill – 23
8. Saint Anselm – 16
9. Pace – 8
( ) – Denotes first-place votes
THE OPPONENTS:
Team This Week Record/Last Week
WPI vs. Rochester 4-3/Lost to Merchant Marine 34-27
Edinboro at Mercyhurst 4-2/Lost to Slippery Rock 24-23
Pace at Stonehill 1-4/Lost to Assumption 41-10
St. Anselm at Stony Brook 0-5/Lost to AIC 35-21
Bentley vs.Southern Conn. 4-2/Lost to Merrimack 33-29
Assumption vs. Merrimack 2-4/Won 41-10 at Pace
Stonehill vs. Pace 1-5/Lost to Bryant 42-7
New Haven vs. AIC 5-1/Won 59-38 at So. Conn.
AIC at New Haven 4-2/Won 35-21 vs. St. Anselm
So. Connecticut at Bentley 4-2/Lost to New Haven 59-38
Overall: 29-30 overall
LAST MEETING:
October 16, 2010, Merrimack 49, Assumption 23
The Merrimack football team bounced back on Homecoming Weekend, racking up 35 first halfpoints 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 Warriors took a 21-7 lead after the first quarter,with Greg Abelli 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 scampered in from one and three yards on the first and third drive, while James Suozzo rushed into the end zone from two yards out on the Warriors' second drive. 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 had a strong day on the defensive line,breaking up four passes and returning an interception for his first career score, while Ian Weaver notched his first collegiate interception midway through the fourth.
LAST GAME RECAP:
Bentley (Week 5 - 10/8/11)October 8, 2011, Merrimack 33, Bentley 29
The Merrimack football team pulled out a victory in a showdown of undefeated conference teams, as they won by the score of 33-29 on Saturday afternoon in front of 2,085 fans at Martone-Mejail Field. The win improves the Warriors record to 4-1 (3-0 NE-10) on the season and makes New Haven and Merrimack the only remaining NE-10 schools without a loss in conference play. With the score at 6-0 Bentley, Artis Holt returned the first kickoff of the game for the Warriors 76 yards, setting up a first and ten from inside the red zone. With the momentum clearly favoring Bentley, junior quarterback Joe Clancy entered the game at quarterback taking over for James Suozzo who shifted out to wide receiver. Clancy led the Warriors on a nine-play,50-yard drive for a touchdown as he completed a perfectly thrown 12-yard pass to Omari Mobley for the score, cutting the score to 19-10. The turning point of the game came on Bentley's first drive of the second half as they lost starting quarterback Bryant Johnson to injury after he was sacked for a six-yard loss by defensive end Matt Tripicchio. Johnson left the game with 198 passing yards and two touchdowns as he had his way with the Warriors defense in the first half. With Johnson done for the afternoon, the Falcons offense struggled mightily as they were unable to score a point in the second half with backup quarterback Danny Guadagnoli under center. The Warriors defense made it tough on the young quarterback as they intercepted him three times. The first interception came on the opening series for the backup as senior Ryan McCarthy read his eyes and intercepted his pass for 42-yards out to the Merrimack 45-yard line. Offensively the Warriors were led by Clancy who finished the game 10-17 for 159 yards and two touchdowns. Suozzo also chipped in with 124 passing, 58 rushing and six receiving yards and one touchdown. Voegeli led all receivers with 154 yards and a touchdown as he broke the 100-yard receiving plateau for the third consecutive game. Mobley recorded a game-high six receptions for 46 yards and one touchdown. On the defensive side of the ball All-American Shawn Loiseau led all tacklers with 12 tackles on the day including a half sack early on in the second half. With his performance on Saturday afternoon, Loiseau needs only six tackles next week against Assumption to break the school record for tackles in a career with 325, which is currently held by Jimmy Festa.
WARRIORS ON THE AIR:
Merrimack has teamed up with America One Networks to deliver live broadband broadcasts for the second straight season. Warrior games that will be streamed online include all home football, basketball and hockey broadcasts.
