Football Welcomes Reigning League Champion New Haven for Saturday Bout
WARRIORS LOOK TO HAND CHARGERS FIRST NE-10 LOSS IN 20 GAMES SATURDAY
Links: Live Stats | Watch | Follow (@MC_Athletics) | Game Notes (.pdf)
NORTH ANDOVER, Mass. – After back-to-back victories inside league play over the past two weekends, the Merrimack College football team seeks its third consecutive win when it welcomes reigning Northeast-10 Conference champion New Haven to town for a huge Northeast-10 Conference showdown on Saturday afternoon at Martone-Mejail Field.
The Basics
Date/Time: Saturday, Oct. 12, 2013 | 1 p.m.
Records: Merrimack (3-2, 2-2 NE0-10) | New Haven (4-1, 4-0 NE-10)
Location: Martone-Mejail Field | North Andover, Mass.
Last Time Out: Merrimack 26, LIU Post 21
Leading by just five with most of the fourth quarter to play, Merrimack's defense came through when the team needed it most, preventing host LIU Post from getting back on the scoreboard over the remainder of regulation while leading the Warriors to a gritty, 26-21 victory over the Pioneers in a key Northeast-10 Conference battle at Hickox Field.
Last Season vs. New Haven (UNH 45, Merrimack 18)
Merrimack opened up a six-point lead at the end of the first quarter, but host New Haven responded with 38 points over the next 30 minutes to storm ahead, as the Chargers defeated Merrimack, 45-18, in the 2012 season opener on Sept. 1, 2012, at DellaCamera Stadium.
Senior Joe Clancy led the Warriors on offense with a 34-for-51 completion clip and 318 yards passing with one touchdown in the defeat. Then-senior Isaiah Voegeli finished the game with a career-high 14 catches for 128 yards while Zach Ingalls finished off his afternoon with seven catches for 73 yards and two rushes for 14 yards and a touchdown.
The Warriors:
- Have won back-to-back games for the first time this season thanks to a home win against Pace on Sept. 28 and last week's road victory at LIU Post
- Trail the all-time series to New Haven, 3-1
- Dropped a nine-point (44-35) decision the last time they faced New Haven at home in 2011
- Boast the top offensive unit in the league, averaging a conference-best 43.6 points per game and 523.2 yards per game
The Chargers:
- Winners of four straight overall and 20 straight Northeast-10 Conference games
- Won a narrow, 21-18 game at Assumption last week and will be playing their second consecutive road game this Saturday as well
- Senior Ronnie Nelson leads the Chargers with 310.6 offensive yards per game, throwing for 1,229 and rushing for 324 more yards through five games
- Mike DeCaro represents Chargers' top rusher averaging 76.8 yards per contest with four touchdowns
- Senior linebacker Matthew Fallico boasts a team-high 36 tackles, with rookie cornerback Najae Brown close behind at 33 tackles – including a team-best 23 solo tackles
- Are tied for first in scoring offense (43.6) with Merrimack and alone in first in scoring defense (22.4)
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