Southern Connecticut State Spoils Football's Homecoming Afternoon Matchup
Links: Box Score // Highlights
NORTH ANDOVER, Mass. – The Merrimack College football team battled through downpours and fought to the final down but ultimately fell short in a 35-15 Homecoming Weekend setback against Southern Connecticut State University on Saturday afternoon at Martone-Mejail Field.
The Essentials
Score: So. Connecticut 35, Merrimack 15
Records: Merrimack (2-6, 2-5 NE-10) | So. Connecticut (4-4, 4-3 NE-10)
Location: Martone-Mejail Field | North Andover, Mass.
Attendance: 3562
Duration: 2:45
Weather: Rainy // 60 F // Winds 10mph NNW
How It Happened
- What was a consistent drizzle before kickoff eventually deteriorated into much worse conditions, as both teams battled wind, rain and downpour throughout the afternoon.
- Southern Connecticut opened the scoring after Eli Parks scored from three yards out to give the Owls a 7-0 lead with 9:22 left in the first quarter.
- After both sides turned the ball over on downs, a great Merrimack punt would pin the Owls back deep in their own territory, and then on the next play from scrimmage senior Devonte Jones (Baltimore, Md.) forced a fumble that sophomore Enrique McFarlane (West Hempstead, N.Y.) scooped up and took to the house to tie the game at 7-7 heading into the second quarter.
- Southern's offense went 60 yards over six plays to retake the lead with 5:50 left in the half, as quarterback Raymond Catapano scored on a keeper to make it a 14-7 edge for the Owls.
- A great punt pinned the Owls back deep in their own territory later in the second quarter, and SCSU would go three and out on that series. A botched punt, however, would give the Warriors two points by means of a safety, as Merrimack would enter halftime down by five (14-9).
- After Catapano found Devante Jenkins for a 14-yard passing touchdown early in the third, senior Matt Clifford (Billerica, Mass.) scored off the ensuing kickoff by going 85 yards to the house to make it 20-15.
- That, however, was the closest the Warriors would get; despite picking off Catapano and starting their next drive in SCSU territory, the offense stalled, which allowed the Owls to tack one an additional third-quarter touchdown to extend their lead to 13 (28-15).
- Merrimack had the makings of a promising drive on its last opportunity of the game, using 14 plays over a five-minute span but ultimately turned the ball over on downs, and the Owls would chew up nearly 12 minutes of clock over nearly the entirety of the fourth quarter before Catapano scored again to wrap things up.
Facts and Figures
- Clifford finished with 153 yards on kickoff returns – a new career-high – while scoring his first-ever return touchdown; the senior averaged 38.3 yards per return on four returns.
- McFarlane led the team again by tying his career-high with 14 tackles – seven of them solo – while recording two tackles for losses; the sophomore also had the only interception of the game, as well as the aforementioned fumble recovery and defensive touchdown.
- Jones, who returned to the lineup for the first time in nearly a month, didn't miss a beat on Saturday, racking up 10 tackles (4 solo) with the one forced fumble. Freshman Michael Mercuri (Lowell, Mass.) also forced a fumble on Saturday, as well.
- Total Yards (MER // SCS): 169 // 318
- Rushing Yards: 156 // 155
- Passing Yards: 13 // 163
- 3rd Down Efficiency: 29% (4-14) // 47% (7-15)
- Takeaways: 2 // 2
Up Next
Merrimack will play its final scheduled road game of the fall next weekend when it visits Saint Anselm on Oct. 29. Kickoff is set for 12 p.m.
--
For continuing coverage of Merrimack College Athletics, visit MerrimackAthletics.com and follow the Warriors on Twitter and on Facebook.
