NORTH DARTMOUTH, Mass. - Visiting Salve Regina scored touchdowns on four returns and outscored the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth's football team, 28-3 in the second half en route to a 57-21 New England Football Conference Boyd Division game victory at Cressy Field Saturday. In the process, the Seahawks extend the longest winning streak in Division III football to 12 straight victories.
The Corsairs broke on top early when Cosgrove hit freshman wide receiver Abiola Abonshade (Attleboro, Mass.) with a 38 yard scoring pass less than four minutes into the first quarter to make it 7-0. SRU tied it when Osols couldn't handle the snap on a punt and freshman Jeff Avery (White Plains, N.Y.) picked up the loose ball and scored from 14 yards out to tie the score. UMD took a 9-7 lead when senior defensive back Joune Fraser (Barnstable, Mass.) tackled SRU senior running back Connor Kelly (Milford, Conn.) in the end zone for a safety later in the first quarter, then Osols added a 32-yard field goal on the ensuing possession to make it 12-7.
Cosgrove connected with junior wide receiver Kiki Louis (Lowell, Mass.) on an 80-yard scoring pass to make it 18-7 2:26 into the second quarter after Osols' PAT was blocked. But Kelly scored barely two minutes later on a one-yard run, Wilken connected with sophomore wide receiver Matthew Traynor (Secaucus, N.J.) on a 45-yard scoring play, junior wide receiver Paul Panarelli(Shrewsbury, Mass.) returned a punt 41 yards for a score and the Seahawks recorded a safety to make it 29-21, SRU at halftime.
The Corsairs scored first in the second half on a 35-yard field goal by kicker Edgar Osols' (Summit, N.J.) to cut the Seahawks' lead to 29-21. One possession later, junior defensive back Joshua Burnett recovered a fumble in the air after a pass completion by Corsair freshman quarterback Liam Cosgrove (Plymouth, Mass.) and raced 27 yards to score to make it 36-21. Senior linebacker Kevin Hilliard (North Reading, Mass.) intercepted Cosgrove on the ensuing possession and returned it to the UMD 25. One play later, SRU sophomore quarterback Steven Wilken (Ringwood, N.J.) raced 24 yards to score to make it 43-21.
Wilken capped an 88-yard drive with a 16 yard pass to senior wide receiverTrey Scales (Boston, Mass.) in the fourth quarter to make it 50-21 before sophomore defensive back Phil Terio (Trumbull, Conn.) returned an interception 68 yards for the final score of the game.
Cosgrove completed 24 of 45 passes for 235 yards and two scores for UMD, with 10 different receivers catching passes. Wilken was 19 of 30 for 326 yards for SRU, with Scales catching six passes for 146 yards. Kelly carried 20 times for 65 yards.
Fraser made 11 tackles, including eight solo stops, made an interception and broke up a pass. Senior linebacker Anthony Hannon (Orange, Calif.) had nine stops, including six solos for Salve Regina, two tackles for seven yards in lost yardage, a forced fumble and a sack. There were 13 turnovers in the game.
UMass Dartmouth dropped to 1-5 and 1-2 in the NEFC Boyd Division with the defeat, while Salve Regina improved to 6-0 and 3-0 with the victory. The Corsairs will return to action when they visit Nichols next Saturday. Salve Regina will host Curry next Saturday.
Release Courtesy of UMD Sports Information