Game Leaders
Team Stats
Passing Yards
Rushing Yards
Turnovers
Time of Poss.
DARTMOUTH, Mass. – Behind three touchdowns each from Luis Gonzalez and Jalyn Aponte, coupled with a staunch defensive effort, the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth football team recorded a 59-0 shutout of Worcester State University in MASCAC action on Saturday at Cressy Field. The Corsairs move to 4-0 and 2-0 in conference play, while the Lancers are now 1-3 and 1-1 in the MASCAC.
The Corsairs opened the scoring drive early in the opening quarter as Gonzalez drove five yards into the end zone at the 13:46 mark. UMassD made it a 13-0 margin with 3:50 to go in the frame as junior wide receiver Thomas Zednik caught a seven-yard pass from quarterback Dante Aviles-Santos in the endzone.
With just 38 seconds left to play in the first quarter, the Corsairs drove it in yet again as Gonzalez rushed for two yards and a 20-0 lead for the home team.
It was Aponte's turn in the second quarter as the junior rusher opened the stanza with a four-yard run at 13:48. He then posted a 28-yard run less than two minutes later, followed by a one yard rush into the endzone at 6:34 for the 40-0 lead.
Gonzalez added a one-yard rush at the 3:55 mark, while junior wide receiver Angel Sanchez pulled down a 35-yard pass from Aviles-Santos with 1:05 remaining before half for the 53-0 lead.
The Corsairs added a final score early in the fourth quarter as senior rusher Khadir Green pounded in a one-yard carry for the 59-0 lead.
UMass Dartmouth was outstanding on both ends of the ball, holding the Lancers to just 87 yards of total offense (57 rushing, 30 passing), while the Corsairs notched 507 yards, including 280 rushing and 227 passing.
Individually, Aviles-Santos went 13-of-14 with 219 yards and two touchdowns. Rookie JC Petrongolo came on in the second half of action, going 2-of-5 with eight yards. He was sacked once.
Gonzalez rushed for 101 yards on 13 carries and three touchdowns, while Aponte posted 65 yards on nine carries with three touchdowns. Rookie running back Josiah Williams posted 56 yards on six carries, while fellow rookie rusher Mekhi Wilson had 52 yards on 12 carries.
In the air, Sanchez recorded 132 yards on four catches and a TD. Junior wide out Marvens Jean added 39 yards on four catches.
Defensively, the Corsairs 29 different players recorded at least one tackle, paced by junior linebacker Mike Henricksen, who posted five tackles, including three solo and one for a loss of a yard. Senior linebacker Jackson Wellman had four tackles, two solo with one and a half for a loss of three yards. He also posted a sack for a loss of two yards with two quarterback hurries. Additionally, junior defensive back Carl Greene added two solo tackles, also posting a 24-yard interception that led to a Corsair touchdown.
The Lancers defense saw junior defensive back Jamison Metcalf record a game-best nine tackles, including seven unassisted, while grad student Mason Broyles – also a defensive back – had seven tackles with four solo.
On special teams for the Corsairs, Sanchez had one reception for 14 yards, while sophomore Eli Matthews posted one return for 35 yards. Junior kicker Braedyn DeMarco went 5-for-6 on the PAT.
The Corsairs return to action next Saturday, traveling to Western Connecticut for a 5pm MASCAC game against the Wolves.