Merrimack Returns Home to Play Stonehill on Saturday for Homecoming
MERRIMACK FOOTBALL
Game #7 vs. Stonehill, Saturday, October 22, 2011, 1 p.m., Martone-Mejail Field
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MERRIMACK RETURNS HOME TO PLAY STONEHILL ON HOMECOMING
Game 7 - Merrimack College (4-2, 3-1 NE-10) vs. Stonehill (2-4, 1-3 NE-10)
UPDATE:
Merrimack returns home and tries to bounce back from last week's loss at Assumption as they take on the Stonehill College Skyhawks.
SERIES:
Merrimack is 9-5 all-time against the Stonehill Skyhawks including winning four of the last five games and averaging 27.0 points per contest.
WARRIORS GET GROUNDED BY THE GREYHOUNDS
Merrimack was defeated at Assumption by the score of 44-24. In the loss, linebacker Shawn Loiseau broke the schools all-time record for tackles in a career with 326 as he recorded 19 tackles. Junior Isaiah Voegeli cracked the 100 yard receiving plateau for the fourth consecutive game as he leads the conference in yards and touchdown receptions. The Greyhounds used a balanced ground attack to down the Warriors as they put up 243 rushing yards on the night. The Warriors were plagued by turnovers all night as they threw four interceptions.
LOISEAU BREAKS SCHOOL RECORD FOR TACKLES IN A CAREER
Senior preseason All-American Shawn Loiseau was all over the field at Assumption ashe recorded a game-high 19 tackles and his fourth consecutive game of 10 plus tackles.Loiseau recorded seven first quarter tackles and in the process broke the school record for tackles in a career with his 326th tackle. Loiseau has racked up 3.5 sacks on the year and has notched at least one tackle for a loss in every game for the Warriors this year. Loiseau now eyes the conference record for tackles in a career as he needs 64 tackles tobreak the all-time record of 402 for a career.
VOEGELI FIRST IN THE COUNTRY IN RECEIVING YARDS PER GAME
Isaiah Voegeli tallied his fifth 100 yard receiving performance in six games as he hauled in a season-high nine catches for 104 yards and one touchdown. Voegeli ranks first in the nation in receiving yards per game with 137.7 yards/game. Voegeli recorded his ninth receiving touchdown of the season off of a 20 yard scoring strike from James Suozzo early in the third quarter. He is tied for fourth in the country in receiving touchdowns. Voegeli has recorded at least five catches, 135 yards and one touchdown in each win this 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.
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 seventh nationally in total yards per game (496.5). The Warriors are also ranked first in the NE-10 and sixth nationally in points per game (42.8). The offense is led by senior quarterback James Suozzo who has recorded 1,377 yards and 11 touchdown passes on the season. Suozzo has also racked up 321 rushing yards, which is good for second on the team, and six rushing scores, which is good for first on the team.
LOISEAU SECOND IN THE COUNTRY IN TACKLES/GAME
After his 19 tackle performance in Friday nights loss at Assumption senior All-American Shawn Loiseau is ranked second in the country in tackles per game with 12.83 tackles a game. Loiseau has racked upa team-high 96 tackles so far this season and with four more tackles he will break the 100 tackle plateau for the third consecutive season.
McDONOUGH SCORES OFF OF CLANCY PASS
Running back Quinn McDonough gave the Warriors some life late in the game as he scored on a 57 yard reception in the fourth quarter. McDonough caught the ball out of the backfield, changed fields and made four Greyhounds miss on his way to the longest scoring play of his young career. McDonough also ran the ball hard in the last quarter as he had four carries for 17 yards on the final drive.
JOHNSON TIED FOR 1st IN NE-10 IN SACKS
Tony Johnson is tied for first in the conference with 6.5 sacks as he is tied with Nick Haag from Assumption. 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 35 career sacks, most in school history.
MERRIMACK SCORES 257TH POINT OF SEASON
Merrimack recorded 24 points against Assumption on Friday tobring their season total to 257 points in six games. The 42.8 points per game is tops in the NE-10 and sixth 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 202 AND TWO SCORES
Quarterback James Suozzo led the way through the air for the Warriors as he completed 18 passes on his way to 202 passing yards and two scoring strikes. Suozzo connected with Ethan Weaver early in the second quarter ona 15 yard strike to cut the lead to 16-10. Early in the third Suozzo hung tough in the pocket and threw a perfect ball to Isaiah Voegeli for a 20 yard scoring play to cut the deficit to 30-17 . Suozzo added 22 yards on the ground in the losing effort for the Warriors on four carries.
SPREADING OUT THE WEALTH
Seven Warriors recorded at least one catch in the 44-24 loss on Friday night against Assumption. Isaiah Voegeli led the way for the Warriors with a team-high and season-high nine catches for 104 yards and a score. Ethan Weaver hauled in a season-high five catches for 50 yards and a score as well. Quinn McDonough chipped in with an amazing 57 yard scoring catch late in the game. McDonough was one of three Warriors who recorded only one catch but those three receivers had an average of 31 yards per catch.
3RD DOWN DEFENSE MUCH IMPROVED
Merrimack's defense is ranked sixth in the country in 3rd down efficiency at 25.9. The defense has forced third down 85 times on the young season and have only yielded 22 first downs.
LOISEAU INCHES CLOSER TO CONFERENCE RECORD
After setting the all-time school mark for tackles in a season in 2009 and again in 2010, Shawn Loiseau broke the all-time markof 325 (Jimmy Festa, 1996-99) for a career after getting 19 against Assumption on Friday. Loiseau needs 64 tackles to match the all-time Northeast-10 mark of 402 (Steve Sheeler,Stonehill, 2000-03).
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 a game and season, James Suozzo is closing in on virtually every quarterback school record. Suozzo needs 13 touchdowns, 1,095 passing yards, 111 completions, and 242 attempts for the school record for a career. He has an outside shot at the career rushing records, needing 178 attempts and 1,023 yards this season.
SPECIAL TEAMS IS KEY TO EARLY SUCCESS
The Merrimack special teams units have a couple of players who are ranked high nationally in certain categories including Artis Holt who is 14th in the country in kickoff return average (28.25) and Isaiah Voegeli who is seventh in the country in punt return average (19.2).
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 in Merrimack's victory against Bentey.
WIGGINS LEADS TEAM IN TACKLES FOR A LOSS
Junior defensive end Michael Wiggins leads the Warriors with 9.5 tackles for a loss on the season after six games played. Wiggins also is second on the team with 4.5 sacks. Wiggins has accumulated the second most tackles on the team with 52. His 21 solo tackles on the season rank him third on the team behind Loiseau and Ryan McCarthy. Wiggins is also second on the team with six quarterback hurries so far in 2011.
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 at Rochester 4-3/Bye
Edinboro vs. Clarion 5-2/Won 30-20 at Mercyhurst
Pace vs. Bentley 1-5/Lost to Stonehill 49-0
Saint Anselm vs. Assumption 0-6/Lost to Stony Brook 55-6
Bentley at New Haven 4-2/Lost to Merrimack 33-29
Assumption Bye 3-4/Won 44-24 vs. Merrimack
Stonehill at Merrimack 2-5/Won 49-0 vs. Pace
New Haven vs. Bentley 6-1/Won 34-20 vs. AIC
AIC Bye 4-2/Lost 34-20 at New Haven
So. Connecticut vs. Stonehill 5-2/Won 31-29 at Bentley
Overall: 34-32 overall
LAST MEETING
September 24, 2010, Merrimack 42, Stonehill 39
The Merrimack football team totaled 500 total yards and forced four turnovers but barely hung on to defeat Stonehill College 42-39 in its conference opener Friday night. The Warriors thought they finally put the game away as Smalls ran into the end zone from six yards out, with Suozzo serving as the lead blocker on the junior tailback's second score of the game. But Stephan Neville returned the ensuing kickoff 90-yards and combined with the two-point conversion, suddenly the Skyhawks were right back in it, trailing by just three at 42-39 with 1:31 left. But the onside kick did not travel the necessary 10 yards, and the Warriors retained the ball and ran the clock down to 21-seconds before punting it to the Skyhawk 10-yard line, giving the hosts one last chance. The Warrior defense held as Stonehill ran out of time, and the visitors escaped with their first victory of the season. Suozzo finished with 215 passing yards and three touchdowns on 19-of-33 to go with 89 rushing yards on 18 carries. Smalls (97 yards) and Jimon Hill (87 yards) also posted strong days rushing, as Merrimack racked up 273 total yards on the ground. Abelli was over 100 yards for the second straight game, totaling 119 receiving yards on 12 catches. Mobley, who notched his first two career scores, finished with three catches for 54 yards.
LAST GAME RECAP - Assumption (Week 6 - 10/14/11)
October 14, 2011, Merrimack 24, Assumption 44
The Merrimack football team fell to the Assumption Greyhounds on Friday night at the Multi-Sports Stadium by the score of 44-24. The loss drops the Warriors record to 4-2 (3-1 NE-10). Merrimack took the opening kickoff back to the Assumption 46 yard line as Andrew Dicarlo broke through a couple tackles on his way to a 44 yard return. Two plays later James Suozzo connected on a 37 yard strike to Isaiah Voegeli down to the Assumption eight yard line. Merrimack was held inside the ten and to settle for a 20 yard Nick Zwann field goal for the 3-0 lead. Assumption took the ensuing kickoff and orchestrated a nine play 66 yard drive that ended with a four yard Kevin Bumpis touchdown rush to give the Greyhounds the 7-3 lead with 8:30 remaining in the opening stanza. On the next offensive series for the Greyhounds the Merrimack defense hung tough and forced a three and out. Facing a third and long Suozzo completed a pass down the left sideline to Voegeli for 21 yards but the offense was unable to stay on the field as they were forced to punt. Assumption backup quarterback Gabe Hominski entered the game for the injured Bumpis and drove the Greyhounds down the field for a touchdown. The ensuing extra point was missed so the Greyhound lead was 13-3. On the scoring drive, senior captain Shawn Loiseau broke the all-time Merrimack college record for tackles in a career with his 326th tackle. Loiseau recorded four solo tackles and three assisted tackles in the first quarter to break the all-time record. The Merrimack offense regrouped and scored on a 57 yard touchdown pass from Joe Clancy to Quinn McDonough for a touchdown with 3:54 left in the game to cut the score to 44-24. McDonough broke four tackles on his way to an amazing touchdown run. Assumption recovered the ensuing onside kick attempt and wasted out the rest of the clock. Senior All-American linebacker Shawn Loiseau finished with a game-high 19 tackles for the Warriors as he took over the all-time career tackles record at Merrimack. Suozzo finished the game with 202 passing yards and a touchdown while Clancy finished the game 4 for 6 for 79 yards and a scoring strike. Voegeli led Merrimack with 84 yards receiving on eight receptions and Weaver chipped in with five catches for 50 yards and a touchdown.
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.
